


Wild Child

by CreamPuffBunny



Category: Yoroiden Samurai Troopers | Ronin Warriors
Genre: Adventure, Drama, M/M, Multiple Pairings, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-03-23
Updated: 2013-05-29
Packaged: 2017-12-06 06:47:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 50,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/732633
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreamPuffBunny/pseuds/CreamPuffBunny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>(Discontinued) AU. All the tribal clans have submitted to the mighty Empire except for the Ronin Clan. Rowen, a clan noblemen, is captured by the Empire and sold as a slave to the highest bidder; Lord Sage. Being the only clan member who is educated in the ways of the Empire, Rowen continuously confronts Lord Sage. But Lord Sage is a force to be reckoned with unlike his usual clan members and Rowen finds himself strangely attracted to the blonde noble. Will Rowen be able to help save his clan from extinction and escape the Empire? Or will he find that his new life and friends are a better choice? ***Pairings to see: SagexRowen (main), RyoxCye, KentoxRowen, SagexCye, KentoxCye***</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ***Okay, so I've been in to Ronin Warriors/Yoroiden Samurai Troopers for over 13 years and have never written a fanfiction for the fandom until now. There are still fans out there, which pleases me, so this fic will be for them as well as for myself. This fic will have multiple pairings but the main will be SagexRowen. The fic will be focused on them. I decided to use their Ronin Warrior names because it fits better with the AU time period I chose. In most cases, I rather have the Japanese names. So, read on and enjoy! Read and Review please!
> 
> ***Warnings: Language, humor, minor violence
> 
> ***Disclaimer: I do not own RW/YST. I am making no money off of this fic.

Wild Child

Chapter 1

Rowen stood on a raised piece of earth overlooking a babbling brook, enjoying the warm breeze that snaked through his tinted blue hair. He stared at the open blue sky while searching for the approaching speck that would be the return of his falcon. He closed his eyes to the warmth of the sun's rays as they kissed his cheeks. Rowen swore he could smell the sunshine while taking it all in, relishing in the simple joys of nature. A shriek from up above made him shield his eyes from the brightness while scanning the sky for the falcon. Rowen could recognize Blue's cry anywhere. The falcon swooped down towards him, flapped her wings to slow herself, and then perched on his covered arm. He stroked her chest feathers first, and then petted down the back to soothe her.

"Welcome back, girl." He smiled while watching her head tilt. "Did you eat?" Rowen reached into his belt pouch and took out a small piece of dried meat, holding it up to her beak. The falcon cocked her head a few times, and then turned away from the morsel. "I guess you ate then." Rowen and the falcon shared a special connection, one that only a few of his clan members were able to experience. It was an ancient bond between man and beast.

Rowen turned and walked back into the woods to the spot where he had left his belongings. Blue flapped her way up to a branch, keeping her master in full view. He picked up his fox fur shawl to adorn his shoulders, and then slung the woven pouch bag on top of it. Inside his bag Rowen carried his favorite book, a thin wooden writing tablet, a quill, and a glass jar of ink. Unlike the rest of his clan, Rowen was the only person besides his father who could read and write. His father came from the Empire, having fallen in love with a Ronin Clan woman; his mother. While raising him he taught Rowen everything from reading and writing, to math and science. He even helped him explore the world of herbs and medicines. Rowen was unquestionably the oddest young male of the Ronin Clan. Due to his swift intelligence and talents of academics, Rowen often neglected such basic things as games or the hunt. He didn't care for socializing much either with the other warriors his age. He enjoyed sparring and fighting, but would much rather be reading instead.

It would be a lie for Rowen to say that he did not think himself superior to the others. The Ronin Clan was an ancient civilization of warriors living in age-old stone houses within their realm. They were considered the last clan of the Old World Order, having refused to join the Empire for decades. The Empire was a rich and cultivated vast land full of strong architecture, populated cities, businesses, and the arts. They had only managed to keep the Empire at bay by offering the Emperor use of their fertile farmland to cultivate. This small agreement of business is what kept the Ronin Clan from facing extinction at the hands of the mighty Empire. But recently, there has been a lot of activity on the Empire farmland and all of them were on high alert. Rowen would have gone with the other young warriors to check it out but it was too nice of a day to miss out on falconing. If something went wrong he would be one of the first to hear about it and would deal with it then.

"But until then, curling up under a tree with a good book is my top priority." After a few hours of reading, Rowen had fallen asleep under the tree with the book on his chest. He would fall asleep often, and stay asleep for as long as he could. However, his napping was cut short by something tickling his nose. Rowen let out a sneeze that jerked him awake, which made the book fall to the ground. "Gah! What was that?" He felt his nose for anything that might have caused him to sneeze, and then looked up when there came a snickering sound. Peeking around the tree was none other than his friend and fellow clan member, Kento. "Was that necessary?" He asked, giving Kento a look of annoyance.

"You know I hate to wake you, but I just couldn't help it this time! And I did it with your own feather!" Kento grinned, holding up one of Blue's tail feathers.

Rowen just stretched with a yawn, rubbing his lower back. "So you guys are back already? Any news?"

"Nah, nothin' worth goin' on about. They are moving in a little closer than normal, though."

"Why's that?"

"I don't know really, but I think it's something you should look at with all your smarts. You know a lot about buildings."

Rowen raised a blue brow. "Buildings? So they are expanding further out? Or are they expanding closer to us?"

Kento scratched his head. "I think both…but I think more on the lines of coming into OUR territory."

"Okay." Rowen just waved his hand in dismissal at Kento. He wasn't going to get anything useful out of the bigger man and would have to see this 'structure' for himself. "I'll head over there once I put all my stuff away." He stood up and packed the bag to sling over his shoulder. Kento was smiling stupidly at him suddenly and Rowen gave a lopsided smirk back. "What?"

"I'm just surprised you like that shawl so much! When I first gave it to you…you snuffed it."

Rowen blinked a few times and then tilted his gaze to his left shoulder where part of the shawl lay. Kento had given this to him as a courting gift. He saw Kento as a best friend more than a possible lover. Two years ago, when he had just turned sixteen summers, Rowen was promised to the High Priestess' daughter, Kayura. After many embarrassing failed attempts to produce an heir, the marriage was annulled on the grounds of him not being 'able'. Rowen thought he was free to continue on with his studies after that, but his parents had other ideas. Since they were one of the Ronin Clan's leading families, Rowen still had to marry, as was his public duty. This left his eligible hand open to the public, from other leading families to simple warriors, so long as the parents approved. So he was surprised when his best friend Kento had shown up at his door with a stag's head, a pelt, a new bow, and a jug of monkey wine all in an offer of courtship. He had actually slammed the door in Kento's face, being in utter shock, but quickly opened it again once the image had settled in his head. Kento was better than some of the other suitors he had received, having denied all of them immediately. Rowen knew they just wanted a spot in a leading family and nothing more from him. But Kento was his friend; and Rowen knew without a doubt that the dangerous, yet softhearted man would always be true. So as a token of permission for Kento to court him, Rowen handed over one of Blue's tail feathers. It pained Rowen to keep stringing his friend along like this, allowing himself to keep accepting the courting gifts when he did not want Kento as an actual lover or husband. Rowen's desire for the man was only a strong bond of friendship, one that he did not want to lose. Kento was one of the only warriors in the clan who treated him with respect and devotion when all the others were scoffing at him. Even though he was socially awkward, Kento had always looked past that and helped Rowen to socialize more. He would do anything for Kento, and knew in his heart the man would do the same for him.

"I did snuff it. But I told you before that I was shocked by what you offered me. I never expected you to want to court me."

Kento held up the feather with a foolish grin. "But you accepted."

"I rather you than some other guy, by far." Rowen lifted his arm and whistled so Blue could comfortably perch.

"You never cease to amaze me with what you can do with that bird!" Kento walked beside him. "Hey, did you know that together you and I make the perfect person? Me with my awesome muscle and strength; and you with all your smarts and knowledge!"

Rowen laughed. "Hey, don't forget that I can spar, fight, and hunt just as good as the rest of you. Okay, so I'm not all brawn and little brain like you-"

"Hey!"

"-and I can't do half of the things that you can with that monstrous strength. But I can hold my own in any physical situation." He gave his friend a smug smile, and Kento reached out to tweak his nose. "Ow!"

"Well, you're not all that perfect, you know! How many times have you fallen asleep while waiting for your turn in training?"

The blue haired man couldn't answer that, so he changed the subject. "Why don't you stay for dinner tonight?" He saw the larger man's eyes light up. "We'll go and check out that structure you spoke of, and then we'll return to my place and chow down!"

"Alright! Sounds like a plan! Wooo! I'm there!"

Rowen just laughed to himself and continued on with his friend.

/

Their arrival at the Empire farmland had Rowen's blue eyes constantly narrowed and squinted in inspection. The Empire was indeed building another large structure but part of it was heading towards the Ronin's side of the territory. Mentally calculating the diameters and form, Rowen concluded that the structure was only halfway done and would cross over into their land. The trees he and Kento were hiding behind would have to be cut down if this structure was to be continued, which violated their treaty. Rowen clenched his jaw in annoyance, and his fists went on his hips.

"Well, this is annoying. They're building straight into our land when they promised not to."

Kento looked at him. "What should we do? Tell the head chief?"

"We can do that," Rowen tapped his chin, "but I need to find out more before we tell him. He's hot-headed and I don't want this to turn in to some crazy brawl." He leapt over a fallen tree. "I'm going to go talk to the head guy."

"Hey, wait for me! I'll come with you!" Kento slung Rowen's bow over his shoulder.

Rowen looked back at him. "Fine, but you have to let ME do the talking! You just stand there and pretend that you don't understand."

"What? That's not fair, Rowen!"

"I don't need you getting all angry and doing something drastic! If I want your input, I'll ask for it. Now let's go." He could hear Kento muttering and grumbling behind him.

Rowen crossed through the heavy construction site with Kento close behind him. Some of the Empire workers paused to look at them, mainly at their different style of dress. Rowen paid them no mind, for his concerns lie with whoever was inside the large tent. Due to the tent's size, bright colors, and ribbons it housed the overseer of this work site. That was the person Rowen had to speak with about the contract. However, both men froze when the sound of baritone horns echoed along the breeze. Kento pointed to a large golden carriage coming their way pulled by a team of pure white horses, each one lavishly decorated. Large plumes of colored feathers adorned their heads and bells of gold jingled as they moved. The carriage they pulled was covered and open save for the slightly sheer curtains that surrounded it. A man on horseback pranced beside the carriage, a sword hanging off both sides of his hips. Beside him walked a large white tiger with black stripes. The two clan members just stared at the large moving vessel as it came nearer.

"Should we stop the carriage?" Kento asked his friend, eyeing the white tiger.

"No, because I'm not sure who is riding in it. We don't want to get in trouble." Rowen's eyes met with the dark haired horseman's. The horseman's blue eyes stared back at him, and the horse was pulled to a halt before them. Rowen narrowed his gaze at the man who was peering at them with suspicion.

"Are you two supposed to be here on Empire land?" Asked the horseman, and shouted for the carriage to halt. The white tiger growled low.

Rowen answered plainly. "Sorry, but we're just here to speak with whoever is in charge of this building operation."

"For what purpose?"

"We have a concern that we would like to clear up."

Another voice joined in the conversation. "Ryo, why have we stopped?" The curtains pushed aside and a young blonde man stuck his head out to see.

Rowen stared at the blonde man's unique style of hair and light purple eye gazing back at him. The blonde hair covered the left side of the man's face. Upon his head was a golden crown encrusted with various gemstones and draped with silken scarves of green and purple. A long gold necklace of spider web with various sized emerald pendants hung low, and there were thick golden bands around his wrists. Rowen knew that he was staring in to the face of Empire royalty, or if not royalty, then nobility. He was momentarily struck dumb by the sight of such a beautiful and stunning man, even if he was from the Empire. He only regained his composure when Kento gave him a nudge.

"These two men ask to speak with the Chief Architect about a building project." Answered Ryo, the man on horseback.

"Is that so?" The blonde man looked back at the two. "Whatever for?"

Rowen straightened his posture. "It has to do with that building over there." He pointed to the structure.

The blonde man gave a sniff and retreated back into his golden wagon. "Allow them entrance, Ryo."

"Yes, Lord Sage." Ryo walked his horse up to them. "After Lord Sage enters then you will be allowed in." He gave a whistle and the carriage continued on for the tent. "State your names."

"I'm Rowen. And this is my clan member, Kento."

Kento punched his fist into his palm. "We're from the Ronin Clan and we got some business to take care of!" Rowen shot him a sharp glare.

Ryo raised a black brow. "The Ronin Clan?" He smiled. "Oh yeah, I've heard about you guys. This is the land your leader offered us, right?"

Rowen nodded. "Yes, that's correct. That's what we want to talk about."

"Fair enough. Follow me then. And don't' mind White Blaze, he won't hurt you." He said, referring to the tiger.

They followed Ryo on foot to the tent where they patiently awaited to be called in for an audience. Kento gave a loud yawn and cracked his neck, forcing Rowen to mumble a low curse of annoyance. He lightly scolded Kento for being too uncivilized and barbaric for something as important as this. The larger man just rolled his eyes, choosing to remain quiet and crossed his arms. The man called Ryo came out from the flap and held it open for them, ushering the two inside. When they entered the lavish tent, Rowen couldn't believe the amount of decoration for something as simple as a tent. The inside walls were a completely different color and there were drapes of shimmering gold fabric pouring from the center ceiling. In the middle of the tent was a large oak table, its legs and trim designed with a skilled craftsman's art. The nobleman from before, Lord Sage, sat at one end of the table while the Chief Architect sat in the center. Behind the blonde stood an auburn haired man who was dressed as a servant. The table was covered in papers, most likely blueprints and maps. Lord Sage took notice of Rowen and let his violet eye linger on the man. Rowen stared back, but only for a moment before turning his attention to the Chief Architect. The older man lifted his head to acknowledge the two of them.

"How may I help you boys?"

"I am Rowen-"

"Chief Rowen." Kento corrected him, reminding Rowen of his own title as a clan nobleman.

Rowen cleared his throat. "I am Chief Rowen of the Ronin Clan, and this is one of our warriors, Kento."

"Oh, we have woodsmen nobility in our presence!" The Chief Architect hid his snicker behind his bandaged hand. "How honorable."

"Hey, that's not-" Kento was ready to snap back but Rowen's arm shot out in front to stop him. "Rowen!"

Rowen wasn't fazed by the simple insult from the old man. "We are only here to speak of business and nothing more. Chief Architect," he could feel Lord Sage's icy purple gaze upon him "we are concerned about your latest structure nearing the forest on the south side. I calculated the measurements in my head, and judging from them, this structure will have to enter our territory. Surely you are aware of the treaty signed by my Head Chief and your Emperor? Stating that you will be allowed to use this part of the land only without fear of war or attack? We're hoping it was a mistake in design and won't go any further." The elderly man seemed amused by Rowen's words.

"I am well aware of the treaty and what it states. To answer your question, yes, the structure will have to enter the forest. However, it will only be about half an acre or two with a few trees having to be removed. It's not a big deal, right Lord Sage?"

Lord Sage sipped at his gold goblet of wine. "It doesn't matter to me."

"It violates the agreement!" Rowen could hear the rising anger in his own voice. "There is plenty more land for you to build on in the west. There is no need for these structures to come down our way."

"And what are you going to do about it?"

"I'll have to bring this news back to my Head Chief and then he will decide what can be done."

Lord Sage spoke next. "Chief Rowen, you're being very stingy with this small issue of land. A few acres will not damage any plant life or make all the animals run away."

Rowen narrowed his blue eyes. "Are you mocking my way of life?"

"Yeah, you better not be!" Kento chimed in. "Rowen's dad is from the Empire! He knows a lot about what's going on!" Rowen slapped his hand to his face.

'Kento!'

"Is that so?" Lord Sage folded his hands. "And why would your father leave the Empire to live the life of a Ronin Clan member?"

Rowen's brow twitched. "He's told me that he liked the lifestyle of our clan and he fell in love with my mother, so he chose to stay." It was out in the open now thanks to Kento, so Rowen figured he may as well say more about himself. "He taught me how to read and write, along with herbal studies and astrology. Aside from my father, I am the only Ronin member who can read and write."

"He's smart, too!" Kento added in proudly.

"Then perhaps his skills and intelligence are wasted in that clan." Said Lord Sage. "There is more for him in the Empire."

"Sorry, but I'll pass. Just because my father is part of the Empire doesn't mean I have to be." He crossed his arms. "I'll never leave my Ronin Clan. My clan needs someone with the knowledge of the Empire to help them fight back against any little tricks, like this one with the treaty." He looked to Sage. "It may seem like a 'little' problem to you, but should we allow this it will only be a matter of time before your kind asks to do it again."

"Aren't you a bright little brat?" Smirked the Chief Architect. "Lord Sage? What is your ruling on this matter?"

The blonde sighed. "Allow him time to speak with his chief. We're in no real rush." He sipped his wine again and looked to Rowen. "You both can go now. Cye, show them out."

The auburn haired servant named Cye smiled at them both while kindly escorting them from the tent. Once outside, he spoke to them. "I hope things turn out well for you and your clan."

"My buddy Rowen here will take care of it!" Kento slapped the other on the back.

Ryo came up to stand beside Cye. "So, how'd it go?"

"Expect to see us back soon." Rowen told the dark haired man. "This isn't over yet. You can tell your smug little ice prince in there that he hasn't seen the last of me!"

"Lord Sage gave you a hard time?" Ryo just chuckled nervously. "He's like that but isn't too bad once you get to know him."

"In other words, he's a jerk until you learn to deal with him." Kento answered, which earned a little giggle from Cye.

"Well, have a safe trip back and we hope everything works out for you." Ryo gave them a wave. After the two walked far enough way, Ryo turned to Cye and put his arm around the other's shoulders. "What has you looking so concerned?"

Sea-green eyes turned to look into blue. "Lord Sage kept staring at him. At Rowen."

"So?"

"Well…you know how Lord Sage is with people and things that interest him."

"Oh, well don't worry. I doubt anything will come of it." White Blaze came up beside him and nuzzled his leg. "You'd best get back to Sage before he needs a refill on wine. I'll see you later tonight."

Cye smiled. "When Sage is asleep."

"Yes." He kissed the pale cheek before holding the flap open for Cye to go back inside.

/

Rowen sat at his table lazily poking at the cooked piece of meat on the plate before him. He mixed in the fresh vegetables with this morning's porridge. Both of his parents were absent when he came back, and as promised, he allowed Kento to stay for dinner. Rowen couldn't cook that well, but what he made was decently edible. Kento had no issue with it, scoffing the food down loudly with an untamable appetite. The man ate like the meat was going to turn back into its animal form and run away. But Kento's eating habits were not the only thing on his mind right now. His biggest concern was the expansion of that building into their land. When he had told the Head Chief about it, the man did not appear concerned or angry. Instead, he waved Rowen off with a scoff as if they were bothering him.

"Are you gonna eat that?" Kento asked, looking at Rowen's plate. Rowen said nothing and pushed it over to him. "You're not gonna eat ANY of it?"

"I'm not hungry. I'm more pissed than anything right now." He sat back in the wooden woven chair and crossed his arms, blue brow twitching. "I can't get the smug look of that Lord Sage out of my head! I just want to grab that flop of blonde hair and tug it away from his other eye! Who the hell does he think he is, anyway?"

"Ro, you've got to calm down, buddy. We'll figure out a way to take care of it. I'll lead the other guys in a battle to win back that land."

"Kento, let's stay away from war as much as we can. That won't solve anything. We may be strong but we don't have nearly the numbers of men as the Empire does. Our whole village will be crushed."

Kento chugged down the cup filled with goat's milk. "Then we'll give them a battle to remember! It's better to go down fighting than roll over onto our backs in submission!"

Rowen rolled his eyes at his friend. "You're always so quick to rush in to a fight! Learn some self-control, Kento."

The larger man snuffed at him like a boar ready to charge. "Hey, I can help protect you with my extreme fighting skills! I'm not the strongest warrior in this clan for nothing!"

"I don't need protecting, Kento! I can take care of myself!"

He swallowed a big piece of meat. "You'd sleep through an entire war if you could! And you're sick fairly often too!"

"I'm not sick! I'm just…I'm overly tired!" Rowen knew he had a health problem with his lack of energy. Sometimes it would hit him like a sack of rocks and he'd be down for a day or two.

"Yeah, well, during that time anyone could just walk up, slit your throat, and leave. You wouldn't know a thing!"

Rowen stood up from the chair. "And if you were out on a hunt or the like it could still happen! Your argument is invalid."

"Ugh! You're more stubborn than a jackass!"

"And you have a hard head! Just like a rock!" Rowen stormed away from the table.

"Where are you going?"

"To bed!"

He climbed the ladder that led to his room. It was a small room but just big enough for what he needed. His bed was a large square mattress stuffed with feathers, wool, and straw. Three sewn animal pelts served as his blankets, and he needed each one. He tended to get cold at night, even when the world was at its warmest. Rowen buried his face in the rabbit fur pillow stuffed with downy feathers. It wasn't his favorite but it helped to keep his head warm. From his spot on the mattress he had a clear look of the night sky, tinted a dark purple and littered with millions of tiny stars. For a long while he stared at them, imagining what it would be like to fly up there and touch one. His studies have hypothesized that stars could not be touched yet he still allowed himself the childish wonder of the impossible. Flying through the stars would be a pleasurable experience for him, and Rowen wished it would come true before the upcoming days of trouble that lay ahead. This matter with the expansion was weighing on his mind, and all he could foresee was danger. The Empire could wipe them all out within a few days even if everyone was at their bravest and strongest. Someone like Kento would continue to fight even if the odds were against him. The Warrior of Stone, as the other clan warriors dubbed him, would be the last man standing against a massive army. It was honorable and noble, but Rowen knew it was stupid. Alive you can change things, but when you're dead, you're nothing more than a memory; a character for a campfire tale. Strong men like Kento couldn't make a difference with such odds against him; but someone like Lord Sage could change the world with just one powerful signature or vote. Their kind is dying out, and in the months to come they may just be washed away from this earth in a sea of blood.

'Something has to be done before there is bloodshed.' He stared up at the night sky again. 'But why did our Head Chief dismiss me so easily like that? He knows how important it is to keep our village safe from the Empire. Or maybe he just won't believe me because I am young.' He closed his eyes and an image of Lord Sage appeared, which forced Rowen to open his eyes again. 'What was that just now?' A creaking from the ladder startled him from his thoughts. "Kento?" He turned to look over his shoulder at the large man climbing up.

"Hey Ro, just thought you might be cold." Kento gave him a nervous smile.

"I'm fine. Why don't you go home and rest there? I'm thinking."

"You're always thinking. Go out and kill something for a change."

That earned a laugh. "I'm not as easily entertained as you, Kento. But go ahead and climb in. I can take a hint." Rowen moved over to make room for Kento who wasted no time crawling under the covers but insisted he be by the window. He pulled Rowen against him so they could spoon, a large hand resting firmly on his belly. Rowen closed his eyes to Kento's warmth and pressed back further into him. While Kento's body was laced heavily with muscle they were all concealed under thick skin, which gave the illusion that he was chubby. Anyone who had Kento pressed against them like this would know the truth. Rowen had to quickly put a stop to Kento's hand, which began to slip up under his linen tunic. The rough texture of Kento's hand was sharp against his softer skin. Normally when Kento touched him like this he didn't mind the rough skin that was hardened by years of intense fighting. He would have to disappoint his friend once again this night. "No Kento."

"Ro…please?"

Rowen pushed the hand out of his tunic. "No. I'm sorry, Kento. I'm still not ready." He heard a heavy sigh behind him.

"You're never going to be ready."

It's not that Rowen WASN'T ready but more like he felt guilty for continuously stringing his friend along like this. It never felt right when Kento tried to be intimate with him. "I'm sorry." He repeated.

"It's fine. I never want you to feel forced or obligated before we're united in a partnership."

Rowen smiled at Kento's softhearted forgiveness. If Kento ever got tired of being told 'no' Rowen wouldn't stand a chance. The larger man could easily overpower him and take him if he wanted to. But Kento wasn't that kind of person and would never even allow the thought to cross his mind. That's how well Rowen knew his friend. To make it up to the large man, Rowen rolled over to snuggle against him, something he rarely did. He stuck his head under Kento's strong chin and rests his ear against the other's heart.

Kento wrapped his arm around the narrow waist and held him close, sticking his other arm behind his head. "This is a rare occasion on your end."

"If it bothers you then I'll move."

"No! I like it. It's hard to get you to cuddle like this." Kento gave a yawn that sounded more like a roar. "Man, I'm beat."

Rowen's eyelids were growing heavy yet they still remained focused on the starry sky. "I bet I'll fall asleep faster than you."

"I'm sure you will. Goodnight, Ro."

"Night." With the gentle rhythm of Kento's breathing beneath his cheek and the strong arm around his waist, Rowen let himself fall in to a blissful sleep.

'Mmm…Kento, I said no already.' Yet the hands stroking his bare chest and belly were not the rough ones he was used to. 'What? Who are you?' Rowen turned to gaze in to a single violet orb. He gasped. 'Sage!'

'I saw you staring at me today in the tent' He smiled. 'I guess you saw something that you liked?' He asked with a purr.

Rowen noticed that he was completely naked and lying on a plush bed, encased in the same curtains he saw on the carriage. Sage was naked as well, his hard and well-sculptured body pressing against his own. Had they done something? Rowen flushed hotly. 'This can't be real! This is a dream! If anyone is next to me it should be Kento!' Warm, soft lips pressed against the back of his neck and he went rigid.

'Don't be so cold, my blue-haired beauty. The way you were looking at me in the tent suggests-'

'Quiet! You were an arrogant man that I wanted to give a solid swing to the jaw!'

'Nonsense.' Cooed the young lord. 'Secretly you were wanting me.'

Rowen sneered but his blush came back. 'I did not want you!' Yet he was dreaming about him.

'So feisty!' He chuckled. "You just need to be tamed.' Those same soft, silken hands glided along his belly and chest, making Rowen melt under the touch.

'Stop!' He wanted to push the man away but was powerless to do so. This was his dream so he should be able to control the outcomes. This couldn't be what he wanted. 'Stop this!' Another hand slipped between his legs to lightly grasp his semi-hard erection. He moaned. 'I don't want this! But it feels so good!'

'Come away with me to the Empire. Your talents are wasted here in the woods. You can be so much more than you are now.'

'No…I belong here…'

Rowen jerked awake, his eyes flying open and a quick gasp escaped his throat. He checked immediately to see if Sage was with him but the earthly smell and heavy snoring of Kento was all the clarification he needed. Kento, in his sleep, had loosened his hold so Rowen could sit up. He rubbed his face, pulling his cheeks down and letting them bounce back up. 'What the hell was that about?' It was still night and he wondered if his parents were home yet. Slipping out of bed he descended the ladder and tiptoed to his parent's room. The door was slightly ajar, so Rowen peeked in to find them both sleeping soundly. They must have known Kento was with him but didn't bother to wake them up and throw Kento out. The memory of Sage in his dream brought forth a shudder and Rowen knew he would not be getting back to sleep any time soon. Usually when his mind was heavily laden with thoughts he would take a walk to help clear his mind. Blue would often come with him, but she could not fly in the dark to accompany him. Instead, Rowen took an apple from the fruit bowl on the table as a snack since he didn't have enough for dinner. He felt bad leaving Kento to sleep soundly in the bed but he needed to be alone and collect his thoughts. Quietly leaving the house, Rowen picked up his bow and quiver of arrows to take with him just in case he ran in to trouble. He was a fine archer, if not the finest archer in the whole clan. He wasn't just book smart!

The blanket of stars gave off enough light as he walked through the village, taking a shorter path to enter the forest. He knew these woods so well that he didn't need any heavy light, only the light of the stars. Rowen knew where he was going. His sandaled feet were already taking him there, to a high cliff where he could see the stars and the lights of the Empire. The worn path to the cliff came in to sight and Rowen ran up its length, leaping over the raised roots and age-old rocks. He knew where each one was on memory alone. Faintly he could hear something scurrying off to his right, and judging by the swift sounds it was a four-legged animal. Nothing to worry about. He entered the clearing and stopped for a moment, bending down to remove his sandals. To him, this spot was magical, almost holy in a way. He loved to feel the soft, spongy moss beneath his feet as he walked to the edge. Far out in the distance he could see the tiny specs of light from the Empire. It was far enough away where the lights from the cities would not interfere with the night sky's natural light. Rowen looked up at the thick stream of white stars, all which twinkled as if to acknowledge his presence. They greeted him as an old friend and now he finally felt as ease. He closed his eyes to feel the gentle wind upon his face.

'It was only a dream and nothing more than that.' He dropped his bow and quiver to the ground to sit and gaze up at the stars. 'Why would I dream about Sage in…THAT way? I've never dreamt of anyone like that, not even Kento.' He felt the flush come back to his cheeks, as he thought about Sage, still able to feel the ghost-like fingers upon his skin. 'Stop thinking like that, Rowen!' He tapped himself on the head. 'He's an arrogant prick who mocked your way of life and snuffed your concerns!' Rowen looked up at the stars again. "I could never like a man such as him! So why was I thinking about him?" Rowen had to admit the man was handsome to look at, with such golden blonde hair and unique eyes. He wondered if both of Sage's eyes were violet, and why he chose to hide half of his face. "Maybe it's deformed?" That brought a smirk to his lips. "I bet that's it! Or else he's blind in that eye and it's an ugly gray!" Rowen pushed a large strand of his blue hair from his face. "Blue is better than blonde anyway."

The faint smell of smoke caught in the night breeze and Rowen jumped to his feet, looking out in the distance for any sign of a fire. Squinting slightly to the direction of the east he noticed a large fire in a clearing. It was too large to be a campfire, which meant it had to be a bonfire. The question was, who had made it and why was it there? And why out in the open so conspicuously? Rowen turned to put on his sandals, gathered his bow, and ran as quickly as he could back to his house. He did not want to alert the entire village so waking Kento to come with him would be best. Quietly he entered the house so not to wake up his parents. Climbing the ladder he rushed to Kento and shook him violently. "Kento!" He whispered. "Kento! Wake up!"

Kento snorted awake and batted at the air. "Huh? Wha? Rowen?" He rubbed his eyes. "What is it?"

"I need you to come with me! I noticed a large bonfire out on the plains!"

Smokey blue eyes looked at him. "What are you doing out in the middle of the night?"

Rowen turned his face away to hide the faint blush he knew was there. "Just clearing my head. Now come on! We need to investigate, and who better to help me than my own best bud with the strength of ten bears?"

Kento flexed his muscles proudly. "Twenty bears!"

"Whatever! Just be quiet and follow me!"

/

Rowen led him to the cliff and used his bow to point out the bonfire. "Look."

Kento had to squint. "I don't see much…just a fire. What do you think it is?"

"I'm not sure. That's why you and I are going to go check it out." Rowen smirked. "You up for the task? Or are you scared?"

"HA! I'll race ya' to the bottom!"

Rowen grinned, eagerly accepting the challenge. Kento wasn't nearly as agile as he was so naturally Rowen hopped his way down the rocks with the skill of a deer. Kento slipped a few times, letting out startled yelps and tiny gasps. Rowen just chuckled all the way down and boasted about his success when his friend finally joined him. "I was growing a beard waiting for you!"

Kento stuck his tongue out. "I let you win!"

Rowen just waved him on with his bow as they rushed in the direction of the bonfire. The closer they came upon it the more stealth like they became. The plains were littered with tall grass and open spots of land, making it easy to crawl around and hide. Together they stalked closer to the area, taking refuge behind a cluster of large boulders. They could hear men laughing and the sounds of horses stomping their hooves. Rowen peeked around the rocks first, carefully scanning the crowded area of men around the fire. He swiftly counted thirty-two in the whole party, and he knew they were all from the Empire. He recognized the style of white dress robes and colored red armor. To the far end of the group there was a barred wagon, and inside Rowen could see a few huddled bodies. His eyes widened when he realized they were of his clan. There wasn't a word of anyone missing in the clan! If there had been then Rowen would be one of the first ones to hear about it. These men were no friends of theirs.

"Rowen," Kento whispered, "Who are these guys?"

"I gather they're slave traders." He narrowed blue eyes at the wagon. "They have OUR people in that wagon, Kento!"

"Ours?" Kento had to get a look for himself, and growled when he recognized the style of dress. "How dare they! Let's knock them all out and save our clan members!"

Rowen glared at him. "We can't just run out and unleash a full attack! We're only two people. We need a game plan first."

He growled. "I thought they weren't supposed to do us any harm after we gave them that land! Why are they taking our people?"

"I knew something was amiss the moment I saw that building structure. Something's going on…and it's bound to have dire consequences." He quickly crouched low as one of the men got up with a riding whip and headed over to the wagon.

"Be quiet in there!" He shouted at the captives. "Stop your useless sniffling!" The man swiftly ran the whip along the bars, making the captives in the wagon cry out in fear.

Kento snorted. "I can't take it!"

"Kento! Don't-" but Kento had already rushed out with a battle cry. "Damn it, Kento!"

The surrounding men prepared to fight as Kento came after them, blocking all their swords, clubs, and spears. He picked up one of the fallen swords to use for a weapon, although knowing that hand to hand combat with this many men would be impossible. Rowen hissed through his teeth as he grabbed an arrow, leapt up onto the rocks, and aimed. His first arrow hit its mark, taking down one of the armored men. With immense speed Rowen was able to aim and fire, taking down the men one by one. But when he had run out of arrows he was forced to retreat from the top of the stones. Some of the men came after him with their weapons and it took all of his swift speed to dodge and block. He fought his way through in hopes of reaching Kento where, back-to-back, they may actually stand a chance. He really wanted to bash his friend on the head right now for causing this attack.

"KENTO!" Rowen called to him just as his friend tossed a man over his shoulder. "KENTO!"

"ROWEN!" He turned around at the sound of his friend's voice and gasped. "ROWEN! WATCH OUT!"

Rowen turned in time to block a blow from a club with his bow, but the force of the blunt object snapped it in half. He dashed around the man and kicked him in the back, sending the large brute toppling forward. The man didn't go down, though, and the armored men surrounded Kento. The man with the club came back at Rowen, swinging it wildly. All Rowen could do was jump and dodge while his eyes darted around for a weapon to use. Something hit the back of his heels and fell to the ground. He had tripped over a dead body, and when he glanced up the club was coming down. Luckily, he rolled out of the way but a sudden weight landed on top of him, knocking the air from his lungs. One of the armored men had tackled him, using his weighted mass to hold Rowen down.

"I GOT ONE!" The man shouted.

"PUT HIM IN THE WAGON WITH THE OTHERS! WE ALMOST GOT THE OTHER ONE NOW!"

Rowen gasped for air when the man rolled off of him but the abuse was just about to begin. The man with the club kicked him in gut, directly below the ribs. He let out a gasp of pain and felt his whole body go numb. While holding his aching middle someone else knelt on his back, forcing his face in to the dirt. They pulled his hands behind his back, crossed them, and knotted a rope around his wrists. The rough texture of the rope cut through his skin as he was lifted by his bound wrists. One of the men threaded his arms through Rowen's to lift him up while another grabbed his ankles in a firm, tight hold. He was still trying to catch his breath while being carried, just enough to struggle in hopes of falling out of the hold. But he was bound and it was unlikely that he would get far before being captured again. He heard Kento shouting his name but couldn't turn his head to see.

'Go back, Kento! Go back and get help. Please, don't follow me!' Rowen felt himself tossed onto a hard surface covered with moldy straw. He finally caught his breath enough to see that he was thrown in to the wagon with the others. Looking through the bars he could see Kento still fighting with the strength of 'twenty' bears, but there were just too many men for him to take on alone. Kento pushed through the men and ran towards the wagon, calling Rowen's name in a desperate attempt to save him. Rowen tried to shake his head and tell him 'no', but like a rabid bull Kento plowed through the men. But Kento was so focused on trying to get to him that he wasn't paying attention to his surroundings. Rowen tried to warn him of the armed soldier coming near with a club. The club was swung and it landed Kento in the stomach, forcing the large man to double over. And that's when the rest of the men seized the opportunity to swarm Kento.

'Damn it all, Kento! You were supposed to go back and warn everybody!'

Now they were both captured, and no one knew that they were missing or what had happened to them! Kento was completely bound from head to foot in ropes yet still struggled with all his might. It took at least seven men to lift and carry him out of sight. Rowen strained his neck trying to see where they were taking his friend but the wagon gave a sudden jerk as it kicked into motion. 'They're taking us to the Empire!' Rowen knew what would become of him and Kento. He would be auctioned off as a slave or servant, while Kento most likely will become a member of the fighting realm. The Empire enjoyed their vicious and dangerous sports of fighting, hunting, and organized game. Public fighting and gambling were the most popular. Rowen wasn't entirely sure what his full job description would be but it couldn't be respectable. It was all too much for him at once and with a defeated sigh of exhaustion, Rowen let himself pass out on the straw.

End Chapter 1


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Get up!"

Rowen was roughly jerked awake by numerous hands, all which tossed him from the wagon and to the dusty ground. He landed painfully on his side, yet held in his hiss of pain. All around him there was noise; people talking, children screaming, animals calling, and auctioneers shouting out prices. Rowen lifted his head to look at his surroundings, finding himself in what could only be a city market place. He barely had time to examine the area before he was roughly pulled to his feet by a set of men. They weren't soldiers but by the looks of them they were merchants, or worse, slave traders. Rowen struggled in his binds as the two dragged him along a stretch of street. He remembered Kento was with him and he frantically searched for the man, if anything just to know he was all right and to see a familiar face in this ocean of strangers. But his attention was turned to the steel barred cage, which was being held open for him by another rough looking man. One man held him still inside while the other untied his wrists. Rowen took the chance to swing at them but it appeared the men had expected that and retaliated quickly with a foot to his gut. He hacked up some spittle and fell to his knees on the wooden floor, holding his midsection as he tried to catch his breath. The sound of a steel lock and the rattling of bars echoed in his ears. He was trapped.

'Relax, Rowen. Don't panic. The worst thing you can do is panic. I have to think about this clearly…'

"LET ME GO! I'LL KNOCK ALL OF 'YA INTO THE NEXT MOON DAY!"

Rowen's head shot up at the sound of Kento's shouting and saw his friend being carried over by five soldiers holding him tight. They were coming towards his prison and he hoped Kento would be in here with him. The cage was too short to stand upright so escape would be futile. Kento struggled as he was pushed through the open cage door but with a swift kick to his rear, the large man fell the rest of the way in. He nearly fell on Rowen but the smaller man moved just in time. Rowen glared at the man who locked them inside.

"I'LL TEAR YOU APART, BASTARD!" Kento rattled the bars viciously and tried to pry them open.

"Kento!"

"Rowen?" Smokey blue eyes widened when they saw him. "Rowen! You're okay!"

"You just noticed I was in here?"

He gasped as Kento brought him in to a hug and he couldn't resist embracing back. In fact, he clung to his muscular friend as the full realization of their situation began to strike fear in his heart. As of this moment their futures were unknown. They were strangers in a strange land; a world much different from their own. Kento would have a rough time adjusting to this new world unlike Rowen who knew more about the Empire. He had taught Kento to write his name and that was about the only thing his friend could do. Currently he wished they were back at his house, lying on the bearskin rug in front of the hearth while reading out loud to his friend. Kento would usually fall asleep during 'boring' parts, something that annoyed him to no end but now that it was gone he wished he had it again.

"I'm sorry, Ro. This is all my fault! I shouldn't have rushed out when you said not to!"

'Well, that IS the reason we're here, you dope.' That was what he thought but didn't have the heart to say it out loud. Kento was only acting on his noble instincts for his fellow clan members. Kento liked to fight with his body, not with his head. "You were just trying to help, Ken. We didn't know this would happen." They separated.

"What's going to happen now? What is this place, besides the Empire?"

"It's a marketplace. By the size of the buildings and well-dressed people this is a rich place. The rich, nobles, and royals all come here, I'll bet."

"What do they want with us? Are we going to be slaves?"

Rowen crossed his arms and rested his back against the bars. "Most likely. Chances are you'll be sold into fighting games while I'll be bought for a slave."

Kento looked uneasy for a moment, and then turned serious eyes on Rowen. "What…'kind' of slave?"

Light blue brows lifted at the question. "Slaves are used for many different jobs, Kento." He felt himself blush then. "Oh." Now he knew what his friend had meant by the question. "I don't…really know for sure." He twitched when Kento slammed his fist in to the bars.

"Damn it! This isn't right! They shouldn't have that kind of power against people!"

"Well, they do. Now, we need to…think logically about our situation here."

"We need to get out!"

"Yes, but trying to escape in such a big place as this without knowing exactly where we are would be suicide. You and I would stick out like a sore thumb. And if we are caught they will likely kill us." He put his hand up to stop Kento's protest, which he knew was coming. "Now. Listen. To. Me. If we're dead, we can't change ANYTHING. Our goal is to stop the Empire from expanding in to our land. If they succeed then our clan will be wiped out within the blink of an eye! Do you want that to happen?"

"Of course not!" Kento growled. "But I don't want to roll over on my back and bare my belly either!"

"Neither do I. But if we're going to survive here then we have to play it safe." Rowen had to turn away from Kento for what he was going to say next. "Whoever buys me will be a noble lord, or a royal. Once they see that I can read and write properly they will use me for more. I'll have to act the studious servant and do what I am told. In turn, I can hopefully find ways to influence anyone I can. The only way we can save our clan is to appeal to the ways of the Empire. All this will fall on me so don't worry. Your biggest concern will be the fighting games…and staying alive."

"Ro, why aren't you looking at me?" Rowen wouldn't answer. "Rowen, I have no doubt you'll find a way to save us and our clan. I just fear we'll be split up and…and you'll be with someone who…who might…"

"And you could be killed in cold blood while people stand around and cheer at the sight. I'm more worried about you than myself."

Kento sat back and crossed his legs with a sigh. "So what are we to do?"

"Right now, all we can do is to wait." He finally turned to look back at Kento. "I figure we'll know tomorrow."

/

They were left in the cage without food or water for the rest of the day. Night had come and the market was completely empty, save for some stray dogs picking up left over food and garbage. A few soldiers and merchants still prowled the streets and their immediate area, making constant rounds to check that everyone was properly confined to their spots. Rowen rested against Kento's chest with the larger man's arms wrapped tightly around him, holding him close. The night air was cold and he shivered against his friend, who was doing his best to keep them warm. Rowen looked up in to the night sky yet could only see a small number of stars. The Empire had too many lights and fires, all in which hindered the sight of the beautiful stars. He couldn't even feel at home looking up at the stars, for there were so little to see. And the noise threatened to keep him awake. Back home there was no sounds; only silence with the occasional crickets, peepers, and a wolf howl. The Empire seemed to be a place where production and activity never really stopped. The smell of cooked meat was heavy in the night air, and he felt his stomach rumble with hunger. It was nowhere near as loud as Kento's, which rumbled and roared constantly. His thoughts were cut short when he felt Kento rubbing his belly.

"Ken?"

"Sorry…just thinkin' a lot." He answered in a whisper, nuzzling Rowen's ear. "I don't want anyone else to have you, Ro."

"…I know." He was starting to feel uncomfortable.

"Can I…'you know', before we're separated?"

Rowen flushed. "We might not be separated. We don't know what's going to happen and I don't want to do something so intimate in front of people! We're surrounded."

"But wouldn't you rather have your first time be with me? Someone you know? We were kids together, Ro."

"I know, and I cherish that."

"So what's the problem?" He dropped his forehead to Rowen's shoulder.

'I don't want to ruin our friendship.' Rowen said to himself. 'This is all my fault. I should have never given Kento the 'okay' to court me. Sometimes I'm so smart I'm stupid!' "I just…want that to be something special between us. Alone. In my house or yours, on the rug, in front of a fire." That should hold Kento off. "I want to go through the whole mating ritual as well."

Kento sighed. "Fine…I understand. I'm too tired and hungry to do much anyway."

Rowen felt himself smile. "We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow. We'll need our strength." He threaded Kento's fingers with his own. "I hope we can stay together."

Kento returned the smile. "Me too."

"Oh, fancy seeing you two here!" Rowen and Kento both looked up at the sound of another's voice, and a familiar one. The voice belonged to the man Cye; the one who led them from the tent of Lord Sage. Sea green eyes were looking at them with sorrow and pity. "How in the world did you two get caught?"

"Long story." Rowen answered, crawling out of Kento's hold to move towards Cye. "Why are you here?"

Cye smiled at them. "Well, I'm Lord Sage's personal servant and groom. I was once a slave too, sitting here in these cages like an animal." Cye looked at Kento. "I'm surprised you are here and not with the potential fighters."

"Should I be?" Kento asked.

"Usually that's how it is." Cye thought for a moment, and then spoke. "Lord Sage allows me to look through the slave traders' lot and see who they have."

Rowen's eyes widened. "Lord Sage comes to this market?" He felt a little tingle in his lower belly, which only occurred when he thought of Lord Sage but dismissed it as 'hunger' instead.

Cye nodded. "Yes, to buy all kinds of things. He's looking for a new slave to buy and I'm here to get an early peek at who will be on that stand tomorrow morning."

"So Rowen WILL be sold as a slave!" Kento growled.

Rowen ignored Kento and looked to Cye. "So you have the ear of Lord Sage?" Rowen took notice of Kento's confused look at the term but just waved off the man's silent question.

Cye gave a tiny smile. "In some ways, yes."

"Will you put in a good word for us with Lord Sage?" Kento's jaw dropped opened. Rowen saw the influence the blonde had over the building development and if he went with Lord Sage he had a better chance at stopping the expansion.

Cye bit his lip. "Um…Lord Sage isn't really looking for another champion fighter at the moment. A slave? Yes. A fighter? No."

"Kento is my intended." Rowen told the gentle young man.

"Is he?" Cye looked at Kento and then back to Rowen. Looking around quickly, he leaned in to whisper to Rowen. "Don't say that to anyone else, okay? If the men here knew that then…" He shuddered "it just wouldn't be safe for you. Keep it to yourself."

Rowen looked in to the sea green eyes of the auburn haired man and knew that he could trust this young man. He wasn't sure what it was, but something inside was telling him that Cye was trustworthy. If he wanted to get Lord Sage to buy him then he must convince Cye to put in a word for them. "I remember Lord Sage's words to me in the tent. He said I have 'uses' here. So will he buy us?"

Cye look uneasy again. "He doesn't want a fighter."

'Damn, I don't want to leave Kento behind.' He had a thought then, and ran with it. "You said you were once like us. Did you have the option of who could buy you? Did someone come around and 'peek' like you are doing now?"

"N-No. I wished I had, though. I just got lucky it was Sage who bought me." Cye stood up then. "I see where you are going with this. I'll speak to Lord Sage on your behalf. Both of you."

"Thank you, Cye."

"Yes. I must be going now. Take care of yourself and don't do anything that can get you into trouble!" He politely warned them before continuing on his way, leaving the two alone.

"You really want to be with that pompous ass?" Kento sneered and crossed his arms.

Rowen turned back to him. "In case you didn't notice," his tone was laden with sarcasm "Sage is the one who was at the tent yesterday! Obviously he has some part in the production and building in our territory! Who better to go with than the person who controls what's going on?"

"You don't know that he controls it."

"That's right, I don't. BUT, he is PART of it. These buildings can't be completed unless the contractors have sponsors." Kento stared at him, so he had to clarify. "They need rich people like Sage to give them money so they can build. If we're to save our clan then we have to appeal to Sage. Do you understand?" Rowen knew it was going to have to be mostly him since Kento would be stuck living with the other fighters but he didn't want to leave his friend out of the 'plan'.

"Tch!" He spit through the bars. "I don't like how you're just giving in so easily, Ro. It's not like you."

Rowen flashed him a smirk and sat opposite of his friend. "Who says I'm giving in? If I do everything right then I can be in control. You've got to give a little before you can take. That's the position we're in at this moment."

Kento raised a heavy dark blue brow. "Ro, you're the most 'socially awkward' person, as you put it, in our whole clan! You're lucky I'm someone who understands you! How are you going to talk that guy in to changing his rules when you've spent most of your time buried in books and not talking to people? You don't know what type of person he is! You've only met him once!"

Rowen didn't answer that because Kento made a valid point. He was fairly arrogant and a teeny bit snooty since he had always been far more intelligent than the other kids growing up. His constant studying and working hindered his ability to interact with the other boys. Of course he participated in basic training for young boys, but always went his own way. The only boy he would practice sparring with was Kento, who could make friends with a rock. Which is one of the reasons why Rowen did not want their relationship to go any further than just best friends. Kento was opposite of him in numerous ways and he deserved someone openhearted and sweet. Kento's heart and brawn held dominance over his mind, something that Rowen found hard to understand. Kento liked to give a lot of affection but too much of it would make Rowen uncomfortable. Still, he chose to answer back in a harsh, sarcastic tone. "At least I use my head, unlike some guys I know!" He sighed heavily when he saw the slightly hurt look on Kento's round face. "Alright, that was rude of me and I'm sorry. I'm just saying that I can do a lot more when I need to. It'll all depend on the situation at the time."

"Whatever." Kento spun around and gave Rowen his back.

Rowen rolled his eyes and chose to remain silent. He wouldn't play in to Kento's little childish games. Besides, Kento always gave in first anyway. The man could never stay silent for long.

So together in the small cage they sat in pure silence; tired, cold, and hungry.

/

"The clan member from yesterday?" Lord Sage looked up at Cye from his writing desk. He had been working on various documents long in to the night.

"Yes. I'm not sure how they ended up getting caught but the larger one is with him as well."

Sage tapped his cheek with the feather of his quill as he contemplated the idea of buying the blue-haired wild child. He remembered the heated look of pure determination in those blue eyes along with a little touch of disdain. Chief Rowen spoke very well and claimed to be educated in the ways of the Empire. A high-strung and intelligent slave would be dismissed or frowned upon by other nobility, but Sage was intrigued by the idea of 'taming' such a unique individual. "What do you think, Ryo?"

"About what?" The dark haired man was sitting on the floor polishing his swords.

"About 'Chief Rowen' joining my house."

"Oh. Um…I guess it's okay?"

Sage rolled his eyes. "Thank you for your input." He turned to Cye. "I know you have an opinion."

"I think you should bid on him because he seemed pretty eager when I told him you were looking to buy."

"Really?" He smirked. "Interesting." He looked over to Ryo. "Ryo, you spoke to him. What was he like after he left the tent?"

Ryo scratched the top of his head. "Well, he seemed really angry and fairly determined to get his way. He looks like he could be trouble, but I don't know."

"I'll think about it." Sage returned to his documents. "Tomorrow we'll arrive at the auction square early. Before the auctioning begins, Cye, I would like you to speak once again with Chief Rowen. Find out more about him and then return back to me. I'll make my final judgment then."

"Yes. Oh! I almost forgot to say! They're going to be sold as a pair, Rowen and Kento. Rowen as a slave and Kento as a fighter. I think you should take them both."

Sage laid one of the finished documents in the filing basket. "I don't need another fighter. My family has enough of them as it is. I'm sure I can persuade the trader to buy just one."

"You should purchase them both." Cye snatched the quill from Sage's hand, forcing the man to pay attention. "One of the most frightening feelings is being all alone in a strange new world without a friend. It was very difficult for me to live in your home where I knew no one and there was not one friendly face. I was very fortunate to have befriended you and Ryo, but such luck doesn't always happen between master and slave."

Sage leaned back in his chair. "You're overly sympathetic sometimes, Cye. Just because you felt that way doesn't mean Rowen does or will."

"He might just take over the servant and slave quarters." Ryo chimed in. "He seemed serious when he said, 'this isn't over' and called you a 'smug little ice prince'." Ryo quickly regretted the words he let slip from his mouth and judging by Cye's glare his auburn-haired lover was pissed.

"Oh, did he now?" Sage threaded his fingers together and smiled at Ryo. "And did you defend my honor at all, Head Swordsman?"

"I told them you were a really good guy but they didn't believe me! And it's not the first time you've been called that!" Cye glared at him again. "But we know the truth and we're your friends and that's all that matters, right? Right?" Ryo was flushed with embarrassment.

"You're forgiven. But going back to 'Chief Rowen'," he looked at Cye "don't give me that look."

"What look?"

"That 'kitten in the rain' look! I'm not buying them both!"

Ryo hid his laugh behind his gloved hand. He knew the 'kitten in the rain' look very well and when Cye used it to get his way, it usually worked.

"Ugh. Fine!" Sage snatched the quill back from Cye. "Talk to the other one, whatever his name was, and see what his abilities are! I will decide then. Now go, both of you. I'm tired." He pouted slightly and crossed his arms, hating the power of the 'kitten in the rain' look from Cye.

"Thank you, Sage!" Cye circled around the desk to lean down and give Sage a kiss on the cheek. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay and help you get ready for bed?"

"Not tonight. I'm just going to finish this and then head to bed." He went back to writing and peeked up at his two friends getting ready to leave. When Cye took Ryo's hand to lead him out Sage spoke up. "Don't stay up too late, you two. We have a busy day tomorrow."

"But I'm just going back to my room." Ryo said

"Yeah, sure." Sage continued to write. "I know where you're going. If Cye is not awake and by my side tomorrow morning before breakfast, I'll know who to blame."

He kept his violet eye focused on them as they exited his room, still hand in hand. Cye had advanced from slave to servant on Sage's good will. He even made Cye his personal servant and groom, which was a scandal in his family at the time. A personal groom had to be a middle-class person from a good name, not a slave purchased from an auction. But Sage had his way and soon Cye had become not only his servant but a friend as well. Sage and Ryo had been friends since before Cye, and now the three of them were their own little group. Oftentimes he would invite Cye into his bed if only for trusted company. There were very few people Sage trusted in this household. Ryo was their Head Swordsman and the family 'champion', but Sage did not need another to defend him. He was trained to use his own broadsword the moment he was strong enough to wield it and could easily defend himself, as well as his family name. It wasn't expected of a nobleman to fight on his own but rather to have someone fight for them. It was a ridiculous rule.

Sage stood and blew out his candle, going around the room to put out all the others. He moved to the open balcony arches and pulled the curtains closed. He then dressed in to his green sheer nightshirt and got in to bed, blowing out the bedside candle. The room was completely dark save for the bit of moonlight peeking through the balcony curtains. Sage kept his eyes open, waiting for them to adjust to the darkness. He usually laid awake in thought before actually falling asleep. If someone was with him sleep was easier to come by, but tonight he chose to be alone. It was a snap decision after Cye had brought up that Ronin Clan member, Rowen. Sage turned on his side to face the large door of his room. He was eager to buy the blue-haired beauty, even if the man wished to drive a sword through his chest. Sage could picture those intense blue eyes perfectly. Those blue orbs were a pool of mystery and they intrigued him to the point where he wanted to own the man. At first he had denied it to himself, brushing the man off as a ruffian from the woods. Yet he said his father was from the Empire, and the way the blue-haired Ronin spoke was with educated elegance. There was a huge difference between Rowen and the other one, Kento. Cye wants him to buy both men, but Sage really only wanted Rowen. He let out a sigh, fluffed his pillow and closed his eyes. He'll just have to wait and see what tomorrow brings.

/

"Ro…hey Ro! Wake up!" Kento shook his sleeping friend, who only muttered and grumbled in annoyance. "Ro! Get up! Jeez, you can sleep through an earthquake!" There was so much hustle and bustle around them that he was shocked Rowen was still asleep. Then again, the man was known for sleeping through an entire day and night.

Rowen felt the shaking of his shoulder but was too tired and lazy to actually move. He was going to smack Kento if the guy didn't stop shaking him soon. Rowen wasn't the cheeriest of morning people.

"Come on, Rowen." Kento's voice was softer now. "Wake up. People are moving all around and this place is getting crowded! They're even looking at us like pieces of meat!"

That forced Rowen to open his eyes and sit up. He yawned, stretched, and scratched the back of his head. "Is this nightmare over yet?"

"Nope. We're still here." Kento responded.

"Anything happen?"

"Nah. Although I'm so hungry I could eat a horse!" He whined loudly.

Rowen was starving as well yet he was able to control his hunger rage a little more than Kento. He took a moment to glance around at the bustling people noticing how many venders there were. It must be a busy market day.

"Hey look! Here comes Cye!" Kento shouted, pointing to the auburn haired man smiling at them as he approached.

"Good morning to you both." He smiled and sat on his knees in front of them. "I've spoken to Lord Sage on your behalf."

"And?" Rowen asked, waiting for the answer with a raised blue brow.

"He said he will buy you both only if he knows more of who you are. So tell me as much as you can about yourselves and how you can be useful to Lord Sage." Rowen was going to speak first but Kento beat him to it.

"You can tell that guy that I'm the best warrior and hunter in our clan! I'm the strongest of them all!" Kento flexed his muscles for Cye who just looked amused.

"Okay, well, that's a good start. But Lord Sage will have to know more than that. Do you think you would be able to win many fights?"

Kento snorted and gave a grin. "I'll ram 'em down like a bull and attack like a bear!"

"It's true, he will." Rowen said, deadpan. "As I said before I'm the only clan member who can read and write. I know science, herbs, astronomy, and I'm a master archer. I'm also the fastest runner."

"He's like a deer; it's really amazing." Kento added. "But he sleeps like a sloth and wouldn't wake up if a stampede of buffalo ran around him. But he rather have his nose in a book and fall asleep in a tree somewhere."

Rowen rolled his eyes. "Are you telling him about me, or am I?" Kento put his hands up and said nothing more. Rowen turned back to Cye. "Not to brag, but I'm highly intelligent, I'm very cunning, I learn quickly, I like to debate-" Kento cut him off, adding in some traits of his own.

"You're hot-headed," he counted on his fingers "you're stubborn, you're cranky when woken up, you're messy with your stuff-"

Rowen glared at him. "I will destroy you! I am NOT short tempered! And it's called 'organized chaos' you dope!"

Kento smiled at Cye. "You see?"

Cye hid his laugh behind his hand. "You two are funny!" He gently gripped one of the bars. "You and Lord Sage will bang heads for certain, Rowen. But I think Lord Sage will find the challenge very refreshing." He turned to Kento. "Are you a noble warrior?"

"Yeah."

Cye gave a sad smile. "That will kill you in these fights. You have to develop some crocodile skin and trust no one if you are to survive. I'm afraid that's just the way things are. But I think Lord Sage will like you too, Kento. Would you mind doing more than just fighting? We have a lot of labor around the palace and can always use a strong back."

Kento slammed his fist into his palm. "I can move houses!"

"Alright then." Cye chuckled and stood up. "I think I have everything that I need. Take my advice and don't fight the slave traders when they put you on the auction block. It just makes things easier. Try to act proud and show no fear. Many of the lords here today are not looking for strong individuals but rather meek ones."

"No problem there." Rowen stated. "Thank you for your help."

"Yes. I'll hopefully see you in a bit." Cye gave them another wave and disappeared into the crowd.

"I can't believe we're doing this." Kento mumble.

"Well, not like we have much of a choice at the moment." He sat back on his knees and looked at Kento. "You heard Cye, we have to 'behave' while they're ushering us onto that platform like cattle. Just swallow your pride and deal with it! Don't cause us any more trouble than you already have!"

Kento crossed his arms. "Well sorry for wanting to protect you and the other clan members! I forgot that was a crime punishable by your attitude."

Rowen chose not to respond to that but saw a couple of the slave traders coming over to them. "They're coming our way. Get ready."

/

Cye returned to the Date Family dais where the carriage was park alongside it but Sage had not come out. The servants and guards were still setting up the dais furniture, which consisted of two curule chair, a small table, and a large red rug that covered the surface. Cye wondered why there were two chairs on the dais, and gasped when he realized that Sage's uncle would be here as well. When the second Lord Date was present Sage would have to act his 'true' role as a nobleman, which meant cruel. Sage treated him like a friend while his uncle saw them all as worthless humans. Sage's father has been sick for quite some time and is unable to do many of the responsibilities that come with such a title. Lord Sage is still too young to rule the Date house, so his uncle has taken over for the time being. Although Sage's mother seemed to have more of a say in what decisions are made in the Date palace, which was Cye and Ryo's only saving grace from the uncle's wrath.

The carriage started to rock a bit and Cye met Ryo's eyes as the swordsman stood guard as the two stepped down. Lord Date the second exited first, wearing his classic silk purple robes and a wide variety of jewelry. Each finger had a gemstone ring on it and the headdress was laden with thin golden strands that sparkled in the sunlight. Sage was dressed all in green with less jewelry and a gold diadem laced with pearls upon his head. The elder always had to outshine the younger.

"You! Servant!" The slightly plump man pointed to Cye. "You are my nephew's groom, are you not?"

Cye bowed. "I am sir."

"Then why aren't you up here tending to him?" He said with a hiss, and then turned to Sage. "Learn to scold your servants for their lazy disobedience, nephew!"

Sage gave a slow nod to his uncle, and then glared at Cye. "This is my last warning to you, servant! Next time I will not be so forgiving!" He tilted his head away from his uncle's sight to lift up his curtain of blonde hair, revealing his covered left eye. He smiled and gave a wink in Cye's direction and motioned with a slight tilt of his head for his friend to join him on the dais. Cye hid his smile and climbed the dais steps to stand behind Sage's chair. Ryo quickly joined them, taking his place between both noblemen. Sage curled his finger at Cye and the other bent down so they can whisper.

"What did you find out?" Sage asked.

"Well, the one with the blue hair, Rowen, is a bit of a braggart and quite full of himself. I have no doubts that he has had a proper Empire education such as yourself and can be a very useful member to your growing council." Cye's sea-green eyes twinkled as he spoke next. "He reminds me a lot of you."

Sage gave him an amused look with one thin blonde brow raised. "I am far from a braggart, Cye." He turned to look back at the crowd. "I mind my own business as much as possible, you know that."

"Yes, but you like to let your actions speak for themselves…and perhaps you don't notice it as much as I do, but you always hold your head up high and snub others."

"Am I that obvious?"

"You are if one knows enough about you and what to look for." Cye smiled.

Sage took the goblet of water that was offered to him by his uncle's servant. "I think I give you a little too much freedom, Cye." Sage teased. "You and Ryo."

Ryo glanced at them and spoke quickly. "Don't pull me in to all this."

"And what of the other?"

Cye leaned in closer. "The other, Kento, is apparently the strongest warrior in the clan, and I don't doubt it either."

Sage leaned in closer as well. "Do you think it's necessary to buy both?"

"Yes, I believe so. Kento is twice the size of most of your family's fighters and can probably bring each one of them down single-handed. And between us…Kento is Rowen's 'intended'."

Sage smirked. "Intended?" He took a sip of water. "I would love to know what their courting rituals are. Now you have me interested, Cye. Thank you for that. Oh, it's starting!" Sage silenced them both and sat patiently waiting for his blue-haired wild child to appear.

/

"If that guy pushes me one more time-!"

"Deal with it for a bit longer, Kento! We're next."

Rowen stared at the steps leading up to the platform where two young women and one boy child were being auctioned off as slaves. The three were cowering near each other as the bids kept climbing higher and higher. Cye wasn't lying when he said that the meek were sought after more than the strong. He looked around at all the noblemen, searching their daises for signs of Sage. There were a few family banners he recognized from history books, but none of them were Sage's palace. Once he was up on the platform his vision could cover more ground.

After that group was sold and led off of the platform, it was their turn. Two of the slave traders yanked their chains, forcing them forward by their wrists. Rowen was going to go first but Kento pushed his way in front with means to shield him. He followed behind his friend as they took the platform; millions of eyes were on them but Rowen was searching for a particular pair. Or in this case, one eye of pure violet. Vaguely he could hear the auctioneer shouting about who and what they were but Rowen ignored it completely. His eyes were still scanning the crowd for Sage. Finally, Rowen's eyes found the dais of Sage's family with the sigil of a lightning bolt in a circle proudly displayed by some servants. Rowen's eyes met with Sage's immediately and they locked on, both staring at the other. Rowen took notice of Sage's diadem and robes, finding them to be very attractive on the blonde man. The word 'attractive' kept popping in his head every time he thought about this man and now it was happening when he laid eyes on him. And why was it pissing him off so much? But he saw Sage's hand go up to place a bid, and he held his breath.

"SOLD! TO THE DATE FAMILY!" The auctioneer shouted and then snapped his fingers, signaling four soldiers to undo the shackles on their wrists. A few soldiers wearing the Date colored green armor came up to them, being led by Ryo. Rowen looked at Ryo who shouted an order to the others.

"You three take the fighter to the Date Family Barracks. I'll take the other for Lord Sage."

Kento looked to Rowen as the guards started to pull him away. "HEY! LET ME GO! ROWEN!" He didn't want to fight too much, not until he saw what Rowen did.

Rowen jumped down from the dais, gave Ryo a stern look, and plopped himself on the ground. He crossed his legs and arms, puffing out his chest and holding his chin high. The crowd around them gasped and whispered at the sign of disobedience. "I'm not leaving unless Kento comes with me!"

Ryo's upper lip twitched. "Seriously? Come on, man, don't do this now. You'll see him later." He tried to reason with the other, but Rowen wouldn't hear of it.

"I said I'm not moving unless Kento comes with me." He turned to look at Sage on the dais. "I refuse to move."

"Stupid slave!" Shouted one of the slave traders, rearing his whip. "How dare you speak out of terms!" Before the whip could be brought down upon him, Ryo jumped in to shield him with one of the swords. The whip wrapped around the blade and Ryo yanked it free of the man's hold.

"Know your place as well, scum! You do not interfere in a matter with a Head Swordsman!" Ryo turned back to Rowen, who still sat in pure, stubborn disobedience. "Oh, wipe that look off your face before I do it for you. You're embarrassing yourself, Lord Sage, and me. Now get up and come with me."

Rowen turned his head away and stuck his nose in the air. Ryo growled a bit, not having the time nor the mood for this nonsense.

"Oh dear…" Cye rubbed his temples. "Shall I go help him?"

Sage smirked. "I'm actually enjoying this. He's extremely bold to be so defiant in public like this. Uh oh, Ryo's getting angry. Did you bring your spear?"

Cye cracked his knuckles. "I did. Shall I get it?"

"Not yet. I'm going to call our rebellious little jackass over here first." Sage beckoned his new slave with his hand, urging him to come forward. "BRING THE FIGHTER AS WELL!" He called, enjoying the dropped jaw of Ryo who didn't like giving in to defiance.

"Nephew, this slave will bring trouble!" His uncle warned but Sage ignored him.

Rowen stood up from the ground and waited for Kento to join him. He turned to Ryo with a smirk that silently spoke, 'I win'. Ryo huffed at him but followed behind the two as they made their way to the dais. Rowen kept his eyes firmly set on Sage, wishing he could wipe that smug smile off his pretty pale face. He swallowed hard when they stopped in front of the dais and a bead of sweat trickled down from his temple.

"Why do you openly defy me in public, servant?"

"I had a simple request that went unanswered. However, I think everyone here is making a big deal over something so small. It's not like the Empire will fall because one man chose to defy it." Rowen was, of course, referring to Sage's little snuffed statement in the tent.

Sage frowned, leaning on the left side of his curule chair and crossing his legs. "You might consider yourself lucky that my swordsman didn't run you through with his blades for such defiance. Do you find yourself better than anyone else here on my dais? What makes you different?"

Rowen stepped in front of Kento. "I'm far above your average slave and prisoner. I've had an Empire's education and my father, a brilliant scientist, taught me everything I needed to know and more."

His uncle gasped and turned to look at his nephew. "Is that the son of the man who fled the Empire?"

"I don't quite know for sure, uncle."

"There is one way." His uncle cleared his throat and asked a question in the ancient language of the Empire's first men. 'Do you understand the tongue in which I speak?'

'I do understand and I speak it as well as any of your kind, 'my lord'.' Rowen smirked at their shocked faces.

"Nephew, he speaks it more fluently than you do!" Sage sneered at his uncle's words for they were true yet he chose not to respond. "His father is the mad scientist who fled years ago!"

"My father is not mad!" Rowen defended with venom.

"Silence!" Sage shouted. "So you have proven you are familiar in the ways of the Empire. How does that change how we see you? Do you think you're better than any of those other slaves over there just because you can read and write?"

Rowen looked at Kento, and then back at Sage. "I'd be a liar if I said 'no'. I don't believe that anyone should be a slave or a servant. It's morally and ethnically wrong. But it is obvious from my own auction that," he heightened the volume of his voice, "most noblemen here are afraid of a lesser man who can stand up to them!" More shocked whispers and murmurs filled the air. "Keep the commoners scared, poor, and uneducated. That way, there is no chance of an uprising or a rebellion!"

"INSOLENCE!" Shouted his uncle. "Kill this man for such vile words!"

"Calm yourself, uncle." Sage looked at Rowen and tapped his bottom lip. Beside him, Cye had left to retrieve his spear and had it aimed at Rowen. The blue-haired man looked surprised to see Cye with a deadly weapon. "And you too, Cye." Sage sat up straight in the curule chair and smiled down at Rowen. "Surely with an education as vast as yours then you should know that not everyone here speaks with one voice. You're very narrow minded if you think so."

"We do not all think the same!" Cye chimed in and aimed his spear.

Ryo spoke to him next, but out of earshot of the others. "You've peeked Sage's interest. Quit while you're ahead or else he may give you to his uncle. And don't rope us in with the others. We're different."

Rowen narrowed his eyes at Sage. "Oh, I think I will be the judge of that."

End Chapter 2 TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Language

Chapter 3

In the end, Rowen did not have his way and they would be split up for the time being. Rowen was weaponless without a shred of armor to protect him as Ryo's swords were pointed in his direction. He was shocked to find that Cye had a weapon as well, and judging by the look upon those normally sweet features, the young man knew how to use it. But the most dangerous weapon of all was Lord Sage's pale purple eye looking down at him from atop the dais. The pale eye that both intrigued and frightened him. He still wondered if both eyes were the same or if the one hidden behind a curtain of blonde hair was different. Still, these were questions that would have to wait for the time being because he was going to be taken away. Kento was already fighting the guards, ignoring the sword points aimed in his direction. He looked at his friend, who would now be sent into the world of deathly brawls for sport. There was a good chance that Kento would die while battling in the arena. Rowen, turning away from Ryo and the other guards, walked towards Kento. He ignored Sage's demand for him to return, as well as the guards who were holding his friend. He wrapped his hand behind Kento's head and pressed their foreheads together, a common gesture among warriors in their clan. No one made a move to stop them.

"Watch your back." Rowen whispered to him. "Keep your cool and think things over before rushing in head on. You'll meet some pretty tough guys who aren't like the ones you're used to. Try and do what is said of you, if not for yourself then for me. I promise I'll come and find you the moment I get a chance, okay?" He made sure Kento was staring in his eyes. "This isn't the woods, Kento; this is the Empire."

"Ro, I know I can handle myself. It's you I worry about. I don't want that yellow-haired bastard touching you or- Gah!" he was jerked away from Rowen. "ROWEN!"

Rowen reached a hand out for him but someone grabbed his wrist firmly. He turned to see the tiger-blue eyes of Ryo glaring at him.

"Stop being so stubborn." Ryo scolded him. "Act the way you're supposed to and then you can see your friend, I promise. But making a scene now will only anger everyone!"

Rowen narrowed his gaze and jerked his hand away. "Where will he be? At least tell me that."

"He's being taken to the fighters' barracks at the Date Family house. That's Sage's house. Keep making him angry and he might not let you see your friend for awhile. Trust me, it's not as bad as you're making it out to be. Sage may be a little sharp around the edges but he's nothing like the other young lords, of that I promise you." Ryo smiled and gave him a pat on the back. "Come on, I'll even let you ride White Blaze."

"Your giant tiger? No thanks, I think I'll walk." Rowen turned to see where Kento was, only to find that the guards had taken him away. He frowned and turned back to Ryo. "Do I leave for the palace now?"

"Eh, not quite. You have to remain in the…traveler's wagon…until Lord Sage and his uncle are ready to leave." Ryo gave a lop-sided smile and rubbed the back of his head, looking slightly sheepish.

Rowen gave him a flat stare. "Sheesh. I hardly know you and already I can tell that you're lying. By 'traveler's wagon' you mean a caged one slaves and servants are transported in, correct?" He crossed his arms with annoyance and tapped his foot. Ryo just grinned. "I see that I am. Alright then, lead the way; seeing as I don't have any other choice."

As he followed Ryo to the wagon he kept his gaze firmly set on Sage who in turn stared back at him. Their eyes locked until both were out of sight and the slave cart was presented to him. It was a simple cart, much like the one he was brought here in only the floor had furs instead of moldy straw. Currently Rowen was the only one in the wagon, and he was fine with that. Ryo offered to help him up into the wagon but Rowen batted his gloved hand away. The dark-haired man appeared to look hurt by the reaction as he closed and locked the door. Rowen didn't want to admit it to anyone, but he was completely and utterly exhausted. The only reason he chose to give in was his lack of energy making him overly tired. Having a single piece of stale bread and no water didn't help his energy level either. So he took advantage of having the furs and crawled under them to use as a blanket. Even though it was hot out he wanted to be hidden away as much as possible. And it didn't take long for him to konk out completely. He never woke up when the wagon jerked into motion; or travelled through the city; or came to a complete stop.

/

"Cye, has the wagon arrived yet?" Sage asked from his vanity seat, eagerly taking off his jewellery and dress robes. The day had been too hot for such clothing.

"Yes, it has." Cye placed a new pitcher full of fresh water in the basin bowl and folded the hand towel. "I'm guessing you'll send me to help get him all set up?"

Sage got up from the stool and went to the basin. "If it's not too much trouble." He poured some of the water into the bowl and dipped the towel in to wipe at his brow. "He knows you more than he knows me. And I don't think meeting him face to face yet is the right way to handle his wild nature. If he was a chief in his clan than it will be hard for him to accept a lesser position. In this case, my servant."

"Ah, so I'll have to show him the ropes, too." Cye just smiled. "You don't pay me enough for all the work I do."

The blonde scoffed. "I pay you extra in safety and security. Need I remind you how much-"

"-More freedom I get than any other servant." Cye finished the sentence for him, ignoring Sage's little glare. "Yes, I know."

"Just for that you're staying with me tonight."

"No!" Cye gave a little whine. "I promised Ryo I would be with him!"

"You should have thought of that before making your little comment."

Cye gave an angry pout. "Phooey!"

He used the other side of the towel to dry his hands. "Cye, I'm kidding. Now go and tend to Rowen. Don't give him too much freedom or leeway just yet. Answer any questions he may have. Also, if you pass Ryo ask him to go and see how the other one is doing. Kento. I'd rather you not go to the barracks."

"Sage, I can take care of myself."

"I know, I just rather have you not walking through that hell-hole of crazed men. It gives me a peace of mind, and the old gods only know how much I need that. These are trying times."

Cye nodded, taking the now damp towel from Sage. "I'll have your lunch sent up before I tend to Rowen. I'll try to keep him as tame as possible." He chuckled.

"Don't tame him too much, little fishy. That's my wild stallion." He cracked his neck with a sigh of relief. "Besides, I'm fairly certain I know why he wanted to come to my family house."

Sea-green eyes grew concerned. "Don't be mean to him, Sage."

"I won't." He gave Cye a slight, charming smile.

/

Cye entered the courtyard of the servant's quarters where Rowen was being released from the wagon. Ryo was standing nearby with White Blaze perched right next to him. Cye went up to him and lightly tugged on a strand of black hair.

"Oh, hey Cye."

"Hey. I'm here to take Rowen off your hands." He smiled. "Sage would like you to go and visit with Kento; see how he is making out in the barracks."

"Sure, no problem. But would you rather me accompany you with Rowen for a bit though first? You know, just in case he tries anything? He did take a snap at one of the guards who tried to wake him up. I wouldn't put it past Rowen to have taken off a finger if he had managed to bite the guy."

"I'm not worried about Rowen." Cye looked at the blue haired man being tugged from the wagon. "He'll be fine with me."

"Cye, you trust too easily." Ryo warned him but the warning fell on deaf ears.

"Still not worried." Cye smiled and slowly reached down to thread their fingers together. "I'll see you tonight then?"

Ryo nodded. "Yeah. I may be a little late getting in so try not to fall asleep." He smiled at his friend and lover.

"I'll wait up." Cye winked at him and then left Ryo's side to confront an angry Rowen. "Ease up, gentlemen." Cye spoke politely to the guards. "I'll take the new recruit from here."

"But, Sir Cye, he's being a nuisance!" said one guard holding Rowen.

Cye met Rowen's tired, angry gaze. "I said I can take him from here." With a friendly smile he waved the guards off and took Rowen's hand in his. "Come, let's get you cleaned up and fed. You must be hungry." Rowen's stomach growled. "Very well then. Come with me."

Rowen let Cye guide him into the palace, which was made of marble floors and stone walls. He could conclude that the Date family was on the richer side of the Empire. He took notice of all the ancient pottery and statues, along with various gold trimmed furniture and decorative wall fabrics. For a moment he wondered why Cye did not bring him in to the servant quarters. He got his answer when Cye led them to a bathing room with two large, shallow pools. The room was empty save for just the two of them. Rowen felt like he could relax now, being as it was only Cye who was with him.

"You can get into the pool, Rowen. Whichever one you'd like. The largest one is cool water and the smaller is heated. I'll send for some food and fresh water for you. So just make yourself com-" Cye ceased speaking when Rowen had already stripped himself naked and climbed into the hot water tub. "Okay then." He chuckled. "I'll be back in a moment."

Rowen let out a deep sigh of content as the hot fragranced water gently stung at his skin. He couldn't resist the hot water tub for baking himself in such heat that helped to relax him. Back in the clan he would often have Kento stoke the fire beneath his barrel tub as he stargazed. He glanced up at the ceiling only to find a painted mural of a garden. Closing his eyes he carefully sank further into the water, taking in a deep breath of all the warm vapors. The image in his head was of Sage on the dais, looking at him with curious interest. Now that he had a peaceful moment to think he couldn't deny how handsome the young lord looked at the auction. The color of his golden hair and purple eyes was a combination he had never seen before. In his clan everyone was of a darker coloring when it came to hair and eyes. His own coloring was a rarity among his people but Sage's even more so. Rowen knew that he was passing harsh judgment on Sage when he really did not know him enough to do so. He just couldn't bear the smug, uncaring look of the blonde that day in the tent. Sage simply dismissed his concerns as if they were petty and silly. The young lord had no disregard for how his actions might be hurting other people. That's what pissed him of the most. Grumbling to himself he sank further until his nose was submerged and blew out some angry bubbles. He began to wonder just how he would convince Sage to move the structure or stop its production. Rowen would have to find out from Cye, in the subtlest way possible, just how Sage could be swayed. Cye obviously has the ear of Sage and probably spends the most time with him. He couldn't see Cye actually having seduced Sage into getting his way for the soft-spoken man didn't come off that way. Of course, looks could be deceiving and Rowen was shocked when Cye was holding that spear and looked ready to attack.

"Rowen?"

"GAH!" He nearly leapt out of the water. "Geez, Cye! You startled me! Don't sneak up on me when I'm thinking!" He glared at the amused look on Cye's friendly face.

"I apologize for sneaking up on you. I swear that wasn't my intent." He placed a step stool next to the tub behind Rowen. "Your food will be here shortly as well."

"Thanks. I'm so stinkin' thirsty I could drink the bath water!" He heard Cye rustling around in something behind him, and then felt a light tickle to his scalp. Crossing his blue eyes he tried to see what the other was doing above. "Never seen blue hair before?"

"No, I'm just checking for lice or fleas." Cye said with a little hum afterwards while using the tiny stinks to fold the blue hair this way and that. "All clear. Now to get you cleaned up proper!"

"I can wash myself, Cye. I'm fully capab-LUB!" Cye shoved the other down under the water by his shoulders to get his hair wet. He pulled Rowen back up, who took in a heavy gasp for air. "HEY! WHAT WAS THAT FOR?"

"Protocol." Cye answered softly and slicked back the wet hair. "This is my job and I fully intend to complete it. I would think some gentle service would be a treat for you after the way you've been manhandled. Now hold still and close your eyes." He opened up a bottle and poured the liquid content onto Rowen's hair, and then began a gentle massage of the scalp that had Rowen moaning. "Feel good?" Cye laughed. "It's rose extract. Smells divine."

"Very. Don't stop." He said with a groan and tilted his head back into Cye's touch. "Feel free to wash the rest of me now."

Cye just rolled his eyes in amusement and continued washing the other's hair. "Oh, let me tell you about what you'll be doing here as a servant. For most of the time you will be with me attending to Lord Sage, with or without him present. I'll teach you everything that Lord Sage likes, how he wants it done, and what to do to please him."

Rowen peeked an eye open. "He has a really hard life, huh?"

"Don't be unkind, Rowen. You should never speak ill of a person until you've walked in their shoes." He rubbed behind Rowen's ears. "Sage is to be the next lord of this house, which means he not only inherits the name and fortune but also all the burdens that come with it. You should know that his father is very ill so his uncle has been taking over. Sage is still too young to legally inherit the Date holdings and I fear his uncle will try to take over during that time." He rinsed the suds off his hands. "Sage is going to need many trusted friends in the days to come."

"Hmmm." Rowen played over Cye's words in his head. "I'm guessing right now he has only you and Ryo?"

Cye scooped some water up in a rinsing cup to begin washing out the soap. "Sadly, yes. He has other acquaintances but they can't be trusted. Sage trusts us both with all his heart. That's what makes us such good friends. I don't want to ever hurt you, but if you do something to Sage or Ryo that displeases me," he pulled some of Rowen's hair "I'll have to."

"OWWW!" Rowen grabbed at his hair. "That was uncalled for!" He glared at the other.

"Just making my point!" Cye smiled innocently. "Don't move around too much or you'll get soap in your eyes!"

Rowen just mumbled and relaxed back into the water so Cye could finish with his hair. "So I can assume that if I do something to hurt you, I'll have a tiger at my throat and face the wrath of Lord Sage?"

"Yup." Cye ran his fingers through the blue hair to help push out the suds.

Rowen had no doubts that the three guys were as good of friends as Cye claimed them to be. The only friend he had was Kento and he was fine with that, up until now. This never bothered him in the clan but after hearing Cye's words about their close bonds he was envious of their friendship. He wasn't quite sure what it was making him think that way. The only conclusion he could come to was he preferred the company of the Empire's people to his own. Rowen always wondered what it would be like to live in the Empire when he was younger, feeling that he would fit in more there than in his clan. It wasn't that he disliked his home or fellow clan member but more like he really didn't feel that he belonged. Kento was a pure clan warrior; Rowen was of the Empire.

"What are you thinking about?" Cye asked, slicking back the other's hair.

"A bunch of different things. Hey, how did you end up here? If you don't mind me asking."

"Well, my mother and older sister died of a plague when I was young. I was sent to work on a fishing dock without pay but I was able to have shelter and food. Last year I was picked up by slave traders and ended up coming to Sage's house where we became friends. I started out a simple servant just like you but I am considered Sage's personal groom. He calls me his 'little fishy' and 'precious koi'!" He tapped Rowen's shoulder. "Let me have your arm, please."

Rowen held out his arm as Cye started to rub it with some scented oil. "Hey, you don't have to answer this if you don't want to…but are you 'that' kind of servant to Sage as well?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

"I mean sexually." He looked at Cye to see the light blush streaking across the other's face.

"Well…in the beginning, yes, but…not so much any more. Sometimes we share a bed for simple sleeping purposes."

Rowen gave a curt nod. "Will that be expected of me as well? Has Lord Sage said anything to you?"

"No, I'm sorry." He took a sponge to work the oil in to the light skin. "Are you thinking of your intended? Of Kento?

Blue brows furrowed. "Not in that manner of speaking. It's just a courtship at the moment. Nothing official. I see him more as a best friend and I want to keep it that way but…never mind."

Cye rinsed off the oil and proceed to the second arm. "No, please tell me. I'm curious as to know how the clans court one another. It's just the two of us here, and Sage doesn't call me his Solider of Trust for nothing!"

'What harm could it do?' Rowen thought to himself. "Fine, I'll tell you. I actually wasn't expecting HIM of all the warriors to come to my door with courting gifts. If you're not a noble in the clan then you can court whomever you want, man or woman. My arranged marriage to a fellow noblewoman didn't work out so I was opened to any of the other warriors despite my title. Kento's my best friend and has been since we were little. I would rather NOT have an intended at all but Kento kept the other possible suitors away. Not that I had a very long line, mind you." He heard Cye giggle. "One of the things the other warriors always shared about me is that, and I quote, "I always look pissed about something"." Cye laughed behind him.

"Well, I can see why they would think that. I think Kento is very kind to be courting you."

"Yeah, but I rather just stay best friends than become a couple. Is that rosemary?" He asked about the oil being rubbed into his shoulders.

"It is. Sage loves the smell; it's one of his favorites. But getting back to Kento…do you really think it's fair to him to be stringing him along as you are?"

Rowen lowered his shoulder as Cye massaged his fingers into the tense muscle. "I'm sure Kento knows my true feelings…but he's probably just waiting to see what happens. He doesn't have a long line of suitors either and he's fairly shy around the girls. And he needs someone more open to emotions and cuddly and snuggly…someone like you." Rowen tilted his head back to stare up into Cye's sea-green eyes. "You taken?"

"That's none of your business." Cye smiled.

"It's Ryo, right? Yeah, I'm right. I said his name and your face lit up like a freakin' lantern!" He smirked at the expression on Cye's face. "You may continue with cleansing me."

Cye moved his hands down to rub the oil onto Rowen's chest. "So you don't light up for Kento like I do for Ryo?"

"Basically. Oh, by the way, is Lord Sage okay with you being with Ryo?"

"Oh he's fine with it. Of course, if Lord Sage requests my presence first I must leave Ryo to be with him. But the three of us have that sort of open relationship." Cye moved away to dry his hands of the oil. "Is there anything you need? You'll have your own little room and I can bring you whatever you require. Within reason, of course."

Rowen snapped his fingers. "That's easy. I want my own bookshelf filled with books on each topic the Date family has; to start. That also includes journals, articles, newspapers, and document scrolls. Next, I will need ink, quills, paper, and a shit-load of candles. I require to stargaze at night, meet the family apothecary, and have access to the library." He flipped around in the tub to fold his arms over the rim and look at Cye's bewildered face. "You do have a library, don't you?" Cye just gave a few nods. "Good, because in my clan I was limited to the amount of books my father had and the ones he found that the Empire would throw away. Do you read?"

"A little. Sage has been teaching me during some free time, which is rare."

He raised a blue brow. "We'll have more free time together so I'll help you out. I tried teaching Kento but he gets bored way to fast. He needs to be beating something up or hunting to thrill him. So, will I have all that ask? It's not a lot, right?"

Cye shrugged his shoulders. "I will need permission from Lord Sage first, but I doubt he will say 'no'."

"Excellent." Rowen flipped back around to sink into the hot water once again. 'If I'm going to be spending most of my time here then I will use it to my benefit. I'll have Sage tearing up those building documents in no time!'

/

Kento paced in his cell like a caged animal, swearing softly to himself and cursing their rotten luck. All he could think about was Rowen and what that guy Sage was doing to him. He hoped that Rowen was being better treated than he was down here in this stink pit. The only thing of worth he had was the cot, which was just a flat board bolted to the wall and a blanket along with a moldy pillow. Their livestock stables at home were better kept than this place! Learning from one of Rowen's rants he was more likely to die of sickness from the filth of the place rather than in the arena. As he was being brought in he was able to look at the other fighters, noticing how much bigger he was in size. Of course, who knows how long these fighters have been here and in this poor environment it probably weakened them. Hopefully he could stay strong and healthy enough to fight his way through and live another day. He knocked on his forehead with his fist, cursing himself once again for rushing in head-on to that soldier's camp. Rowen always stressed how important it was for him to think, and now thanks to his thick-headedness he was in this place.

"Hey, you're Kento, right?"

Kento turned to see the dark-haired man with the tiger standing outside his barred door. "Yeah, that's me. You're Ryo, right?" he pointed to the other.

"Yeah, that's me." Ryo offered him a friendly smile. "I was asked to come down here and check to see how you're making out."

"How's Ro? Rowen, I mean."

"He's with Cye so he's in good hands." He laughed. "Trust me, the way Cye pampers and prepares new servants for Lord Sage is almost half a day's work! He's very thorough."

Kento gripped the bars in both hands. "So…he's doing all right then? He's not upset at all?"

Ryo shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure. Although I promise you that whatever he's feeling Cye will take care of him."

"It's not Cye I'm worried about! It's your Lord Sage with my Rowen!"

Ryo raised a dark, heavy brow. "Your Rowen?"

"Yeah!" Kento puffed out his chest. "He's my intended, you know!"

"Oh…right." Ryo scratched his chin. "Well, relationships between servants and fighters don't really exist. It's very rare for servants of the Date palace to even be let down here!"

The larger man scoffed. "Trust me. Rowen will find a way! He once ran down a wild boar just for the crime of waking him up from a nap!"

"That's impressive." Ryo laughed. "I think I'll take him on our next hunting trip then. As long as you're doing okay I'll-"

"Wait!" Kento reached out and took hold of Ryo's wrist, holding him in place. "Will you see Rowen a lot in the palace?"

"Well, yeah. I'm Lord Sage's personal swordsman and the Date Family champion. Why?"

"Just…keep an eye on him for me, okay? What I really mean is, help him watch out for himself. Sometimes he stays up all night reading or writing and forgets to eat! Even though he gets overly tired very easily he doesn't always like to stop what he's doing to rest, or you'll just catch him snoring in the middle of something. He'll even fall asleep standing up! His father used to smuggle in these blocks of sugar from the Empire and mix bits of it in his food or drink to give him a little energy. But don't let him know you're doing it! He'll get pissed and run off at the mouth like a babbling brook! You have to force him to do things sometimes too. Even if you have to sit on him, do it! He falls asleep best on his belly, and if he's still fussing, rubbing circles on his back forces sleep to come. And he needs to be warm! I swear, he'd sleep all day on a hot rock in the sun like a lizard! And don't let him cook ANYTHING! He'll combine whatever he can find and either call it food or a science experiment. I swear, one of his cooked pieces of meat got up once and crawled away! But he's really very, very smart and knows tons of stuff! He knows medicines and the names of stars and tons of animal bios and different kinds of plants-"

"Okay, I get it. And here you say Rowen babbles!" Ryo patted the large hand holding his wrist with his other. "Don't worry, between myself, Cye, and Lord Sage, Rowen will be fine. But I'm glad you told me all this. I'll relate the message to Lord Sage. It's nice to know that Rowen has someone like you to help watch out for him."

Kento smirked. "Well, that's what friends are for!"

"Yeah, you're right." He reached in and pats Kento on the shoulder. "Here, I'll let you in on a little secret." Ryo tilted his head to usher Kento's closer. "Do your very best in the fighting arena. If you please the Date family then you have a good chance of getting out of here. There's been some rebellions and uprisings in the city recently and many of the families are afraid to travel without proper protection. Sage's family is one of the richest and most influential families in the Empire. They need bodyguards, and I could use someone like you backing me up, you know? Think you can pull it off?"

"Damn right I can! You tell the whole Date family to be here when I have my first fight! I'll wow them all with my awesome skills!"

"Great! I'll pass that message along as well. Good luck to you." They grabbed the others' wrist in a firm soldier handshake. "Stay alive long enough to make it out here!" Ryo grinned.

"Yeah, I will! You're a good guy, Ryo."

"Aw, thanks." He laughed. "I try my best. And I bet you'd make a good sparring buddy, too! I'm a little too much for the other soldiers here."

"Oh yeah! I sparred with other clan members all the time! I would spar with Rowen sometimes too but he doesn't see the need in it unless there is something really worth fighting for. You know what I like to do with him when he's sleeping? I place one of his stupid books open on his head like a hat." Kento grinned as Ryo found it to be amusing as well.

"Okay, I really have to go now. I'll come by again and check up on you, okay? Take care, buddy!"

"See ya, Ryo!"

/

"You're a bit boney, aren't you?" Cye said to Rowen as he was helping the other get fitted for servant clothes. "Skinny too."

"Hey Cye, you want to lose a tooth or two?" Rowen warned him while looking at his reflection in the body mirror. "Beneath my awesome body I got all the muscle I need to pummel 'little fishes'. Tenderize and grill. Don't think I won't do it." He was more awake and active now that his belly was filled with hot beef soup, fresh bread, wine, and water.

"Aren't you a cranky one!" Cye pulled the white tunic over Rowen's head since it was too big for him to wear. He fumbled through the clothing trunk and pulled out a soft blue one with simple white ivy trim on the cuffs and bottom hem. "Oh, this one should fit! Lord Sage will love it on you!"

Rowen felt the heat rise up in his cheeks at the mention of Sage's name and quickly he pinched at them so Cye wouldn't catch on. "Need some color in his skin of mine!" He held up his arms as Cye slipped on the next tunic. This one fit much better, but the sleeves were a little longer than he was used to and bell shaped. The style of dress did not seem appropriate for the type of work he would have to do. That is, assuming he knew what type of work he'd be doing. The material was light enough to move around easily. The loose brown pants and sandals he wore would help to keep him cool in this heat. He turned to thank Cye when he noticed that they looked almost identical in dress. Cye's was a much lighter blue but with a touch of soft green. The fabric matched his eyes. Rowen looked at himself in the mirror and frowned at the various hues of blue he had on him. Hair, eyes, and now his shirt.

"Maybe I should go with a different color? Of shirt, I mean."

"No, that blue looks beautiful on you! You'll wear it and like it." Cye wagged his finger in Rowen's face and he in turn took a snap at it. Cye pulled his finger away and held it to his chest.

"Oh, I didn't actually bite you! Grow a backbone!" Rowen returned to the mirror image of himself. He didn't look too bad. And he had to admit he smelled a lot better as well.

"Come on, it's time for you to REALLY meet Lord Sage!" Cye smiled and grabbed the other's wrist to pull him along. "Sage is usually in his study at this time of day."

'Sage? I'm going to see him right now?' Rowen let Cye drag him through the palace once again. What was he going to say to Lord Sage? Blurting out all his aggravation about the building structure and the violation of a treaty wouldn't do him any good. Not yet anyway. Rowen knew he would have to appeal to Sage's better nature and get to know the man like Cye does. Apparently, Cye is the type of person who makes friends very easily and that's how Sage grew to openly trust him. Now they were best friends, along with Ryo. Rowen was never an expert at making friends. He always had Kento to break the ice whenever they spoke to other boys their age. He would have to become Sage's friend if he wanted to get what he needed from him.

"Okay, this is his private study." Cye said once they were standing outside a carved wooden door. He gave a loud knock and Sage's voice could be heard from the other side. "Right. Now-" He licked his thumb to smooth down Rowen's left eyebrow and pushed aside a few stray strands of blue hair. "Keep your cool about you. Always maintain your composure. Remember, you are speaking to a high nobleman, the future heir to this family; your lord and master. You get more bees with honey." Cye booped Rowen's nose. "So be the sweet honey comb, okay?"

"Does Sage sting?" Rowen wasn't expecting the blush that came from the other man at the comment. "Just a joke." He smirked. "You're askin' to be teased, little 'koi'." 'He's my new target for awhile once I'm settled in.' Rowen always did like a good prank, especially on someone like Cye who was easy to trust and gullible. "Thanks for all your help, Cye. I'll catch ya later."

Rowen opened the door and stepped inside, closing it gently behind him. The first thing he noticed was the tall bookshelf full of scrolls and books that even had a ladder! A ladder! To reach the books at the very top. The study was small with a fireplace, various pottery, paintings, and rich rugs. In the center of the room stood a table neatly covered in papers and a book or two. And maybe something that looked like a journal. He was so engrossed by the atmosphere around him that he failed to notice the young lord standing near one of the bookshelves.

"Hello Rowen." Sage was holding open a large scroll, but rolled it back up when Rowen finally noticed him.

Rowen wanted to respond but his voice had escaped him and his throat became dry. The young lord, now dressed in a casual mauve swordsman's shirt, began to make his way over to him. His heartbeat thundered in his chest and he prayed to all the ancient forest deities that he would not let himself blush.

End Chapter 3 TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It was Sage who spoke first. “You look like a true resident of the Empire. Cye cleaned you up nicely.”

“I just needed a bath; not a complete makeover.” He responded stubbornly. That slightly obnoxious comment helped to keep away his blush.

Sage just smiled in response, and then said, “I noticed you were looking at my study with interest.”

“Well, I like to read and study but where I come from this vast amount of books wasn’t available to me. I had only what my father could get from the Empire.”

“You mean what he ‘stole’ from the Empire.”

Rowen narrowed his gaze. “He stole nothing. Everything I had was his books and scrolls. Anything from the Empire was either discarded or given to him, so it wasn’t stolen.”

“I see.” Sage turned away and walked over to the center table, taking a seat in the high back chair. “Join me at the table. You’re going to be my servant so we should get to know one another.”

He would have given the blonde a snappy comment but reminded himself that he was trying to win Sage’s favor. Silently, he walked over to the table and sat opposite from the young blonde. The whole situation started to feel a bit awkward but he wouldn’t let it show. Sage wasn’t speaking but was rather neatly clearing the spot on the table in front of him. Rowen wondered if he should start the conversation or wait for Sage to speak. The answer came when his eyes focused on a strangely designed broad sword up against the far wall near the bookshelves. “Is that sword yours?”

“Sword?” Sage looked in Rowen’s direction and nodded. “I forgot to put it back, but yes, that is my sword. Do you like swords? I can’t imagine your clan actually having a great need for them?”

“Actually, we do use swords sometimes but they don’t look like that. I don’t care for swords; I prefer a bow and arrow. I’m the top archer in my clan for my age.”

“What a coincidence. I’m the top swordsman in my class for this county.”

Rowen raised a blue brow at Sage’s claim, picturing a map of the Empire he had studied long ago. All of the counties were fairly big, even bigger than his clan territory. It was a strong claim but Rowen found he couldn’t doubt Sage’s words. “Hey, if you don’t mind me asking; you’re a nobleman, so why do you care to know battle weapons? Isn’t that what Ryo is for? To do all that hard work for you?”

“Yes, that is why we have Ryo here; but I was never one to lay back and be idle when I’m perfectly capable of doing something. I’m no different from Ryo; I can wield a sword, engage in a fight, and defend myself if needed. However,” he said with a sigh “I have a very traditional Empire-style family and I need to follow those strict codes. Most of the time.”

“I see.”

“So are you a warrior like your friend? What’s his name again?”

“Kento. And yes, I am a warrior, and a very good one!” He said in a ‘matter-of-fact’ tone. “I just choose not to run around and bang heads with the others boys as if we’re nothing but big raging buffalo.”

The corner of Sage’s lip lifted in a small smile. “Our fighting games are like that. A bunch of overly broad shouldered men knocking each other around for sport.”

“Kento will be in heaven, then. He likes to fight.”

“Oh, that reminds me; Cye said that you and Kento are ‘intended’.” Rowen saw the curiousness behind those violet eyes. “Just how does that work?”

Rowen rolled his eyes and gave the blonde a look of pure annoyance. “Really? I have to explain this again? I just told Cye, but whatever. We’re just courting right now and nothing has come of it. I rather it be him than the other guys back home. But it hasn’t gone any further from simple courting gifts of furs and victorious hunts.”

Sage tapped his bottom lip. “Your people court one another by killing things?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong with that?” Rowen knew it was a stupid tradition, but it was still HIS CLAN’S tradition nonetheless. He wasn’t about to let Sage openly mock it.

“I guess nothing, really.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I guess it makes sense since your people do not live the same as we do. Here we court with gifts of jewels, gold, clothing, food, LIVE animals, weapons,-“

“Frankly, I rather have a stag’s head that Kento killed presented to me than some stupid gold piece of jewelry.” Kento had actually presented him with a stag’s head during the second courting of gifts. It was between his friend and one other warrior male attempting to court as well. Rowen couldn’t remember the other’s name, only that he was scrawny compared to Kento and had offered a white hare. Kento offered a stag’s head with an enormous rack of antlers (which Rowen later had fixed up and used the antlers as a place to hang his headbands) and he accepted the kill.

“Now you’re just being stubborn. I’m not mocking you, Rowen, nor am I making fun of you. I’m just asking about your clan members and their ways of life. We hardly know anything about the clans people, since all of them have been wiped out; save for yours.”

“Yeah, and we plan to keep it that way!” Now he was getting angry. ‘Don’t forget why you are here, Rowen!’ “I wish this Empire would just leave my people alone. They’re not bothering anyone.”

Sage responded with a nod. “I am well aware of that. However, our population here is growing and we need to expand.” He laced his fingers together and looked at Rowen with a serious stare. “I know why you’re here; why you had Cye ask for me to buy you.” When there was no response from Rowen, Sage continued. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but one of our messengers had visited your head Chief about the building; the same one you are concerned about. We have just received the document yesterday.” He stood up from his chair and walked over to a locked cabinet, opened it, and took out a small scroll. Sage noticed the curious look of doubt written on Rowen’s face as he handed the blue haired man the parchment. “Read its contents.”

Rowen looked at the parchment scroll, seeing the Chief’s trademark Finch feather tied neatly under a string of twine. He feared he already knew what its contents held, but still he wanted to read it. Calmly, he untied the twine and unrolled the document to read what it said; and he was right. Now he knew why the Chief remained silent when he and Kento spoke of the expansion. Someone from the Empire had already asked about it, and received written permission to continue on with the building. So everything he went through in the last few days has been all for naught. Now he was just a slave with no actual purpose. In a still daze, Rowen rolled up the document and handed it over to Sage without a word.

“It’s not your fault. We did just receive this.” Sage tried to reason with him. “We’re not going to expand any further in the direction of your clan, Rowen. We just need that little bit of space, and that’s all.”

“I want to go back home.” He changed the subject quickly, but would not look at Sage. “How do I free myself?”

Sage returned to his seat and responded in an even voice, “You’re a servant, not a slave.”

“I’m still not free, though.” He finally lifted his blue eyes to meet purple. “I don’t want to stay here and change your bed sheets or bring you dinner!”

“Well, there’s nothing I can do about that now. I bought you from the market and that makes you mine. I did not purchase you for the sheer thrill of buying another human being; I did it for my own reasons.”

Rowen gave him a suspicious look; realizing just how hard Sage was to read. He couldn’t tell if the man was joking or if he was actually serious. “And, may I ask what those reasons are?”

“Are you sure you wish to hear them?”

Blue eyes widened but his brows furrowed dangerously. “If it’s what I think it is then I swear I’ll- “

Sage gave a heavy sigh. “Between you and Cye, both of you shared the same thoughts about me.” He closed his eyes and rested his cheek on his fist. “Rowen, do you really WANT to go back to that way of life? From everything Cye has told me I truly think you are wasted in that clan and can amount to more here in the Empire.”

“That’s not for you to decide.” Rowen answered bitterly.

“But it’s the truth.” He opened his eyes to look at Rowen. “A wise man would want to stay in the Empire and use his dual knowledge of both worlds to make things better; wouldn’t you agree?”

Rowen did agree, and mentally slapped himself for not thinking of the same thing. It seemed that whenever he was around Sage he grew stupid. “I do agree with you, but last time I checked a simple servant doesn’t have a say in any political meetings or debates.” He threaded his fingers together and matched Sage’s cool demeanour. “I’d be better off back in my clan since that’s the case. At least there I am free.”

“Really?” Sage lifted a blonde brow. “Surely you see how much freedom Cye has and he is my friend and faithful servant. You’re here right now because of him. I took his description of you into consideration because I have trust in his judgment. So what’s to say I wouldn’t take your views into consideration and present them, if I deem them worthy, to a council or war meeting?”

Rowen clicked his tongue. “According to Cye’s words you do not have any real authority yet so anything I say to you will be ignored by the people who matter.”

“That was rather insulting.” Sage replied calmly, but there was a hit of annoyance in his voice. “I am next in line to inherit my family’s house and lands. As part of my training I am always present at the meetings and debates. I am allowed to have my say in my father’s absence.”

“Yet it has to go through your uncle first. You’re underage, right?” Sage gave a curt nod. “So I can’t help you help me. Does that make sense?”

“It does.” Sage stood up once again and walked around the table to stand beside Rowen. “Although society saw it as dishonorable, I thoroughly respected the way you stood up to me and the rest of the nobles watching today in the market square. The way you defended yourself and your friend is what this world needs more of. However, you aren’t the most graceful or courtesy person. We’d have to work on that.”

Rowen looked up at him. “What are you trying to say, Lord Sage? That you liked my defiant nature?”

“More so that I could use your cunning and stubborn nature to help me in the future. When I inherit all of this I will need my own council…and seeing how you defended your friend tells me a lot about who you are. The Empire has been facing some trouble in the last five years.” He crossed his arms. “The Empire is thinking of splitting into two separate cities and if you know much about us as you claim than you should know what I am referring to.”

Rowen tapped his fingers on the table. “You’re speaking of the split between the north and south borders of the Empire. Between you, the Empire, and the Dynasty, who is fighting for their own reign and jurisdiction.”

Sage moved over to the other side of the room to lift his broadsword from its current resting spot. “Little is known to your clan and the rest of the residents in the Empire that are not of nobility. The Dynasty is growing quickly and they are using fear to get the people to follow them.” Sage held the sword out in front of him. “If we don’t stop them soon they will completely take over the Empire and we’ll have lost everything. The Dynasty way of governing and living is malicious and I for one will not be a part of it.”

Rowen was intrigued by everything Sage was telling him and it would appear the young lord was looking for more people like him. It was almost as if Sage was silently asking him to join his crusade to end the reign of the Dynasty. But he couldn’t help himself from saying what he did next. “Maybe now your nobility will know what it feels like to have a stronger nation take over another by violence, war, and brute force.” Rowen stood up and walked towards Sage, resting his hand on the blunt part of the sword to lower it.

“You speak of the other clans whom have been demolished and obliterated by the Empire’s powerful army. But when did I ever say that I agreed with such a tactic? Do you make that accusation at me?” Sage’s lips were in a thin, straight line as he awaited Rowen’s answer.

“Don’t be stupid. I never said YOU; I said ‘nobility’. However, that day in the tent your attitude rather implied a lot.” The honest answer was that he just could not read Sage’s face or expressions. He was learning of a whole other man that was different from the one in the tent when he spoke.

“Then learn to read people’s expressions for while you are living here, there is a great chance you will discover that people speak with two tongues. And finding trustworthy friends is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.” He put the sword back in its spot.

Cye’s words from the bathing room echoed in his head, about how Sage will need many trusted friends in the days to come. The only friend he ever had was Kento, and he knew Ryo and Cye were friends with Sage. Since their meeting in the tent Rowen had been blaming Sage for the structure being built, but now he knew the truth and his anger was slowly melting away. He was more enraged by the Chief than anything else right now. Going back to his clan now would only cause trouble because he wouldn’t be able to keep quiet about what he knew. However, taking Sage up on the offer of living here in the Empire where he had a chance to help make changes would prove more useful in the long run for his clan. If the Chief gave in this easily to a little building structure than what’s to stop him from completely surrendering when the Empire chooses to push on further? Perhaps Sage’s promise about not expanding further into their territory was true; but Sage did not speak for all of the noblemen involve in the building. Treaties were made to be broken. Both of them, his clan and Empire, had a common enemy; and that was the rising of The Dynasty. If the Empire didn’t destroy the last of the clans, than The Dynasty surely will. He would have to join with Sage if he wanted his clan to survive.

“Alright, I’ll take you up on the offer. I will remain here in the Empire and help you out when it comes to defeating the Dynasty. However,” he put his finger up “I’m not as nice or as sweet as Cye is, so don’t expect me to be a full-out servant. I will help in other ways, such as becoming your personal assistant and helping to manage your work load.” He saw the narrowed gaze from Sage’s eye so he explained himself further. “Let me do all the secretarial work; dictation, book-keeping, scroll managing, all that good stuff.” He flashed Sage a charming grin.

Sage rests his back against the bookshelf and contemplated Rowen’s rather bold request for a position of power. He was hoping that Rowen would be like Cye, but the blue-haired forest dweller was turning out to be more like Sage himself. Not only was the young man physically unique and attractive but he was intelligent, cunning, and determined as well. Rowen was stubborn, that much was clear, but Sage could be equally as stubborn if not more. He would have to trust in Cye’s judgment about this young man; and Rowen was by far the most excitement he has had in a long while. Sage didn’t feel as comfortable around Rowen as he did Cye, not yet anyway. It always took him awhile to warm up to people and it was something others have always said about him; that he was cold and aloof. Rowen appeared to be same, unlike Ryo and Cye who tended to be overly friendly. Ryo was a little shyer than Cye was when it came to meeting new friends but the swordsman was never unpleasant. But Rowen was different and Sage found that he wanted to get to know the other more rather than just have him for fun. After Rowen had found out about the Chief giving them permission to build, his battling spirit seemed to wither. It took away the fierce fighting spirit that Sage wanted to tame; however, there was still a hidden mystery about the blue-haired individual and that excited him more.

“Hm, I’ll have to think on that for a little while but I will consider it.” He looked towards the window. “It’s a nice evening out. Care to join me on the balcony and we will discuss about your position further?”

“Sure, why not?” It wasn’t as if Rowen had anything else to do at the moment and the chance to enjoy the stars would always be an immediate ‘yes’. “But not the balcony because there are too many lights. Let’s go up on the roof instead!”

“On the roof?” Sage gave him a quizzical look. “I suppose we could but what’s wrong with too many lights? It is night.”

“I like to look at the stars in that night sky above us and your damn Empire has too many lights burning all the time to be able to see them. We still won’t be able to see all of the stars, not like back at my place.”

Sage urged Rowen to follow him. “I never gave much thought to the stars.” He took Rowen to the top steps that led to one of the doors to the roof. They were all alone on the top save for the stars above them. “Does this suit your request?”

Rowen looked up at the night sky, seeing a decent amount of stars but nowhere near the bright numbers above his home. “Yeah, this will do for now.” He went to the center of the palace rooftop and settled himself down on his back, propping his hands behind his head. “You gonna stand there the whole time or are you gonna sit?”

Sage sat next to the other but chose to remain upright. He looked down at Rowen who seemed to be lost in his gaze in the stars. Sage tilted his head to look up at the stars as well. “What do you like about them? The stars, I mean.”

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s the endless possibilities they hold! Just look at all of them twinkling above us,” He pointed upwards “haven’t you ever wondered what’s up there?”

“The universe, obviously.” Sage said coolly.

Rowen gave a snort. “Now who’s the narrow-minded one?” He turned to give his new ‘master’ a smirk. “The stars can tell us a lot. They can be used as a map to help us navigate directions. There’s even pictures in the stars with stories behind them. Oh geez, don’t tell me you’ve never heard any of them?”

“Not recently.” Sage responded, looking back up into the night sky. “I was told them when I was little before bed, but it’s not something I dwell on in adulthood. I suppose in the clan your members all gather to hear stories around a fire, right?”

“You guys don’t?”

“Not in the same way. I never cared much for astrology in the first place. It just seemed so trivial to me, probably because learning it held no purpose in what my future holds. It just seemed like a waste of time, and it wasn’t just astrology. They’re a few others as well.”

Rowen turned his gaze back up to the stars. “Yeah, I get what you’re saying. I never cared much for hunting or sparring. I’m an awesome warrior but I just felt there are other ways to prove your worth that’s not a competition about who is stronger.” He chuckled. “That’s why I never had any friends growing up because I was- “

“Different.” Sage had said the same word with him and both men looked at each other strangely, and then began to laugh. Rowen’s laugh was loud whereas Sage’s was softer and more polite.

“You’re not too bad, blondie.” Rowen rolled over to his side to face Sage. “What’s with the mop of yellow hair over your eye? You blind in that eye? Or is it just a groovy fashion statement?”

Sage smirked. “Would you believe me if I said ‘fashion statement’?”

“Not at all.” He grinned.

“It’s not of much interest.” Sage flipped the curtain of blonde briefly. “I had a minor accident as a child when sparring with a fellow peer. It’s a fainter purple than my exposed one but people took notice of it. So I chose to hide it. If I have to fight I’ll tie it back.”

When Sage lifted his hair to expose both eyes to Rowen the other felt a twinge of fright at the intimidating stare of those purple orbs. With a look like that Sage didn’t a need a sword nor did he need to use words; just his gaze could chill you to the bone. Rowen wondered what his full gaze would look like when the blonde was angry. Regardless, they were stunningly beautiful and Rowen found he had to turn his attention back to the stars in fear of Sage catching his blush. “It doesn’t look that much different from your good one.”

“In the sunlight it is more noticeable.” Sage replied and dropped the curtain hair back to cover his left eye. “Besides, I’ve been told I have a cold stare.”

“Nah.” That was a lie. “I have a cold stare. Well, not cold, really. I can get pissed easily, especially if I’m overly tired.”

“Cye says you’re hot-headed too.”

Rowen glanced at him. “What? Cye said that? I’m not hot-headed! That’s Kento, not me. I’m quick to anger if something bad is happening, say like, to my friends, but that doesn’t count. Well…’friend’.” Kento was technically his only real friend.

“What kind of friend is Kento? Or is he simply your intended.”

Rowen folded his arms back behind his head. “Like I said before, he’s the hot-headed one. He’s quick to act and doesn’t always think, which gets him into trouble. That’s part of the reason why I am here, actually.” Rowen crossed his eyes in annoyance for a second at the memory of their capture. “He looks big and tough, and he really is! But he’s a little shy and is a really nice fella. He’d give you the shirt off his back, literally and figuratively. His heart is bigger than his brain, and he’s very protective.”

“He should sit down and talk with Ryo sometime; Ryo’s just like that. I’m sure Cye told you about relationships between servants and fighters?” Sage leaned over to gaze down at Rowen. “Is this going to cause a problem?”

Rowen’s eyes crossed again, looking up to meet Sage’s calm, porcelain face. “I said we were courting…and that doesn’t mean anything will come of it. I rather us stay best friends, and that’s it. It’s just hard to tell the big lug ‘no’…but I think he knows the real answer.”

“Hm.” ‘Good to know.’ Sage sat criss-cross and rests his hands on his knees, slowly closing his eyes. Rowen glanced over at him and noticed what he was doing.

“Meditating?”

“Yes. I’ve forgotten that I have a big day tomorrow and I have to prepare for it…more mentally than anything.”

Rowen sat up. “We can go back in if you’d like?”

“No, we’ll stay out here. The night air and breeze is quite relaxing…and I never knew how silent it could be up here.” He took a deep, slow breath. “Feel free to continue your star gazing.”

Rowen glanced over at him, and then took the other up on the offer and laid back down. Folding his hands behind his head he lifted his eyes to the heavens, wishing he could see more of the bright twinkling white lights. He even thought about taking Sage up to his favorite spot back home and showing him how beautiful the stars look in complete darkness. How could he already be thinking of sharing his favorite place with someone he had only just met? Rowen closed his eyes and took a deep breath, just as Sage did. Rowen didn’t want to admit it to himself but speaking openly with Sage had helped to change his judgment on the man. It was odd how comfortable he felt laying here beside Sage, a nobleman, who was part of a large Empire threatening the world. HIS world. Yet, that was not the case anymore. By speaking further with Sage and listening to the man’s words he realized that the blonde swordsman was fighting for the greater good of everyone. They shared a common enemy, and that was The Dynasty. Any feelings of malice he felt towards Sage slowly drifted away with the passing breeze. With his mind and body at ease, Rowen drifted off to sleep.

///

Cye sat in Ryo’s bed, propped up against the pillows patiently waiting for the swordsman’s return. He brought his hand to his mouth and let out a yawn. The bedside candle was burning lower with each passing moment, and so was Cye’s stamina. He had been excited all day to prep Rowen for Sage and now it was his time to relax with his lover. But Ryo was taking an incredibly long time to come to bed, and Cye was beginning to drift off into sleep. Just as he was nodding off, the squeak from the door jerked him awake. Looking over at the door he grinned when Ryo walked in with White Blaze purring beside him. The first thing Ryo did upon entering was to remove his twin blade sword sheaths and belt. Cye softly cleared his throat to get Ryo’s attention.

“Oh, hey Cye. Sorry I took so long but I was held up at the barracks.” Ryo took off his gloves and rubbed his stiff neck.

“Is everything all right?”

“Yeah, things are fine. Tomorrow they’re supposed to have a quick fighting display for the nobles coming to visit. I had to help set a few things up. I can’t wait to jump into bed, though. It’s gonna feel great!”

Cye watched eagerly as Ryo stripped of his jerkin and pants, leaving only the undershirt on to fall to his knees. White Blaze settled down in front of the dying fire, his usual place on the large carpet for sleep. Ryo slipped under the covers, let out a content sigh, and wiggled into the mattress. He lulled his head about the pillow, indulging in its softness that felt so good against his aching neck. Cye settled down beside him to spoon his lithe body against the other, nuzzling his nose into the black hair. He felt Ryo’s arm wrap around his waist to hold him close. “Not tonight, Cye. I really want to sleep.”

“But Ryo, we hardly ever get time alone like this!” Cye teased the other’s bottom lip with his finger. “Just a little bit?”

Ryo closed his eyes. “I would do it, Cye, but I’m just too worn out from the day. A lot has happened since I’ve woken up, and now I just want sleep. But I’m glad you’re here with me.” He leaned his head over to kiss Cye’s forehead. “Just being together like this is more than enough.”

“Yes, I suppose you’re right.” ‘Phooey!’ He said the last word to himself. He started tracing little circles on Ryo’s smooth chest, the only sound being that of White Blaze’s soft purring. “Ryo? Do you think we made a good choice in bringing Rowen here?”

“I don’t know. I’m not good at things like this, Cye. I mean, from what Kento told me about Rowen I think the guy will lighten up the daily life here.” He turned to smile at the other. “I think he and Sage will be good for each other. Rowen can hopefully bring out the fun part of Sage and in turn, Sage can gain a new friend.”

Cye let his eyes wander as he pondered Rowen and Sage’s relationship. “I like him. Rowen, I mean. While I was sitting here waiting for you I was thinking about him, and I realized that I felt something for him. And Kento too.” Cye giggled at the concerned look that crossed Ryo’s features. “No, no, love! That’s not what I meant! I mean I felt that bond again; the same one I felt when I met you and Sage, remember? And later on you both said you had felt the same about me, and about one another. Now we’re friends!” He gave Ryo a nose bump with his own. “Do you feel it too?”

Ryo tapped his fingers on Cye’s hipbone, as it was his turn to ponder. “Hmm…well, I really enjoyed talking to Kento and the two of us seem like we could be good buddies. I don’t normally think that about people when I first meet them. I really didn’t have much time to consider Rowen because he was giving me such a hard time, the jerk.” The blue eyes danced with laughter. “But if you felt it, Cye, then I’m sure it’s true and I’ll feel it soon as well. Oh, and Kento told me a lot about Rowen! Apparently he asks that we watch out for Rowen’s well-being and heath.”

“What for? Is something wrong with Rowen?” Ryo proceeded to tell him everything about Rowen that Kento had told him, and it was all Cye could do but laugh. “He’ll get along fine with Sage. I can see both of them being annoyed at the other for something, but together they will make a good pair. I want Seiji to find someone that can be all for him.” Cye never used Sage’s ancient heritage name unless he was speaking of matters such as his lord’s happiness. “I think Rowen may be that person.”

“Don’t go playing match maker now, Cye.” Ryo said and rolled over so his lover could spoon against his back. “If things are going to happen, then let them happen naturally.”

“Yes love, of course.” He stretched his neck to give Ryo a kiss on the cheek. “Rest well, Ryo.”

“Good night, Cye.” They snuggled tightly under the covers.

///

‘Mmm…feels good…where am I?’ Rowen slowly cracked his eyes open as he stirred from sleep, thinking he was still outside on the roof. Beneath him was soft and bouncy, definitely not the stone roof. ‘A bed?’ He slid his hand along the silky surface, felt his face go white, and his blue eyes widened to saucers as his mind confirmed that it was a bed. ‘I sure as hell don’t have a bed like this!’ Holding his breath, Rowen slowly turned his head to the opposite side of the bed where none other than the young lord himself slumbered. Rowen just stared blankly at the sleeping face before him. They were in bed. Together. Sage’s bed; with silk sheets and fluffy pillows. ‘Did we…?’ He felt his body, finding that his clothing was intact and there were no signs of undress. His body wasn’t in the least bit sore, except for his shoulders, but they were always aching. He would have remembered if something had happened between them, since they hadn’t been drinking and he just fell asleep on his own. Rowen knew he could sleep through anything, but sex and groping would be something he’d wake up for. In some slight, small way, he felt disappointed that he was still dressed. That thought made him blush. ‘Sage must have tried waking me and when I didn’t get up he probably put me here. Just great.’ He glanced towards the window, seeing the peeking hues of the early dawn. He was NEVER up this early!

But his first instinct was to jump up and run but he feared waking up Sage. Rowen wasn’t sure how he should react to this situation. Sage had been a ‘gentleman’ and didn’t touch him in any way, so at least the young lord had that much respect. Sage didn’t have to put him in this bed…this very soft bed…made of ivory silk. Rowen slipped further beneath the silk sheets so he could rest his cheek flat against the heavenly texture. He smiled in content, nuzzling his cheek into the material as a cat would. This sure beat his bed back at home with all the animal furs and sheep’s wool and whatever else there was packed away in the mattress. But this, this was bliss. He never wanted to leave this bed! Rowen smiled to himself and came back up from under the covers to examine the pillows fully with his cheek next. As he was indulging, Rowen caught sight of Sage’s sleeping face again and was struck with awe at the angelic sight of it. Sage’s skin was an almost porcelain white with delicate features and bone structure. The blonde slept peacefully with soft, silent, and even breaths. (No snoring like Kento, or himself). The yellow hair pressed out against the white of the pillow, which framed his face perfectly. To Rowen, he looked like a sleeping god or some perfectly carved statue. Sage almost looked to perfect to be real. He wondered if that blonde hair was a soft as it looked? His own hair was fairly rough in texture due to his way of living, but what would Sage’s feel like after having an entire life of pampering? With slightly trembling fingers, Rowen reached over to take a strand of blonde hair fanned out against the pillow. He rubbed the hair between his fingers, marveling at the silken texture of it; just like the bed sheets. The shade of yellow was beautiful; and Sage was beautiful as well. Rowen figured his young lord had many ladies fawning all over him and begging for his hand in marriage.

‘You clearly like boys, so I wonder how well that’s going to go over when the ladies find out.’ Rowen thought to himself.

“You’re awake.” Came Sage’s voice, which made Rowen pulled his hand back as if burned by the blonde hair. “Did you sleep well?” Sage asked, opening his eye to gaze at Rowen, who was now all the way over to the far side of the bed.

“I…I uh…yeah, I’m awake!” ‘I guess I am now! Shit, did he see me staring?’ “Did I wake you up?”

Sage sat up in the bed, running his fingers through the messy blonde strands. “I had already been awake but was simply resting my eyes. I felt you staring at me the whole time, though.”

“I was only staring because I was trying to think about how I ended up here in your bed from the roof!” Rowen knew Sage didn’t believe him.

“Well, I tried waking you up but you were dead asleep, so I carried you back.”

Rowen sat up as well. “I wasn’t heavy at all?”

“Not at all. I carried you on my back and came all the way here.” He gave Rowen a pissed-off look. “With you snoring in my ear the whole way.”

That made Rowen laugh. “Sorry about that. But why did you bring me back here? I have a room of my own.”

“Perhaps I wanted you here.” Sage said with ease, and he noticed Rowen’s faint blush. “I think you liked it.”

Rowen grit his teeth. “I did not!”

Sage said nothing more on the issue and rolled out of bed, reaching over to the bedpost hook that held his robe. Slipping it on, he turned back to Rowen. “I need to get ready for the meeting, so you’re free to leave. The servants should be having their breakfast now so you’d best hurry before it’s all gone. Cye should be coming in soon so you’ll have to tag along with someone else for the time being. I will call for you when the meeting begins.”

Rowen got out of the bed as well, fixing his tunic and pants before slipping on the shoes. “So have you considered my position then?”

“I think I will give you a trial run.” Sage replied, moving to his vanity to take some lotion from a container, rubbing his hands together. “We’ll see how well you do today at this meeting. I advise you to always keep silent, no matter what is said or how much you agree or disagree with it. All I ask is that you sit back with a writing box and write down anything and everything you find interesting, disturbing, or just a topic you think we may need to look into further. However, if someone asks you to speak, I suggest keeping very calm and answer in an even tone.” He placed his fists on his hips. “Some of the nobles coming today like to pester the servants, so best to keep yourself in check at all times. My uncle will be there as well and if he thinks you’ve displeased or dishonored us in any way he may take his cane to your back. I can only do so much.” Sage warned. “Although, if you reject all my warnings and still do as you please, then I will not be held responsible for any actions taken on you by my uncle.”

Rowen smirked. “Oh, don’t worry, Lord Sage. I promise not to say much.”

///

“That meeting was the stupidest crock of bull I’ve ever heard!” Rowen said through clenched teeth to Ryo, who he was walking next to at the very end of the noblemen parade. They were on their way to the Date family fighting arena where the noblemen were eager for some sport.

“They’re always like that.” Ryo replied while munching on a slice of bread he’d stolen from the refreshment table. “Want a bite?”

Rowen leaned over and took a bite out of the still hot bread. “I’m just so annoyed by these fat-bellied old farts! Did you happen to see my notes?”

“Yeah, and you’d better hide most of them.” Ryo couldn’t help but smirk as he remembered Rowen writing down little joke notes on the paper to show him. Little notes such as, ‘Shut the hell up’, when one noblemen kept talking, ‘Look at the nose on him’, to an older nobleman who could barely keep his eyes open, and other simpler notes as, ‘I want to hang myself’, ‘I bet his wife left him’, ‘kiss my ass’, and the most frequent to describe all the noblemen (minus Sage), ‘Jackass’. “You can get into big trouble for that.”

“I scribbled all of them out, don’t worry.” Rowen smirked proudly. “If only I could say those things for real.”

“Say what for real?” Asked Cye as he walked up to join them.

“Mean things Rowen wrote about the noblemen while he was taking notes for Sage.” Ryo replied.

Cye wagged his finger in Rowen’s face. “Naughty, naughty, Rowen!” And then, he leaned over to whisper “What kind of things?”

“I’ll tell you later.”

Rowen was eager to see Kento, although he was not thrilled about HOW he would be seeing him. He was worried for Kento’s welfare inside the ring, but also felt confident in his friend’s fighting ability. Kento could lift rocks twice the size of his head and toss them with ease. Picking up a full grown man and slamming them to the ground would be no issue at all. But there was the initial fear of the unknown; how well trained are these other fighters, what are their skills, and how much stamina do they have? Rowen pondered all these questions as the noblemen filtered in to the private viewing stands overlooking the small arena. Sage and his uncle sat in the center, while Rowen and Cye had to sit or kneel by Sage’s feet. They chose to sit side by side. Ryo stood to the far right with both hands on the hilt of his swords, standing proudly.

A pair of trumpets echoed through the air, which signalled the arrival of the fighters. Rowen tried not to look too eager as the fighters came out of a door one by one into the arena. Kento was the last to emerge, and was noticeably bigger than the other fighters in weight and height. Rowen smiled at the sight of him, relieved to see that his friend was well and appeared excited about the brawls ahead. He could hear some of the noblemen talking about the new fighter, which was obviously Kento, and already started placing bets on him. Rowen glanced up at Sage, noticing the violet eye was staring in Kento’s direction but he could not read the blonde’s expression. Was he viewing Kento in interest or seeing him as a threat? ‘Yeah right! As if, Rowen. Stop thinking like a girl!’ He turned back to the arena when the first two fighters were announced. The men engaged in hand-to-hand combat first, trying to push, flip, and wrestle the other to the mud. After one was pinned they moved on to weapons, which consisted of only short swords. When the first two were done and the cheering was over, Kento was called in next with one other. Rowen felt Cye’s long fingers inch over his and lace them together. He figured Cye knew he was worried about Kento and wanted to give some moral support so Rowen kept his hand idle.

It had shocked the crowd watching, but it didn’t shock Rowen. Kento gave the guy two punches before the helpless man was on his back in the mud. There was a stunned silence for a moment, which Rowen took the chance to look up at Sage. Sage glanced down at him, his thin lips open in silent awe. Rowen just flashed him a smug smirk of victory. When the loser was pulled away another fighter was called in to wrestle with Kento. This one put up a tougher fight, but he was still no match for Kento’s strength. With a mighty grunt from Kento he flipped the man over his head to slam the body into the mud, earning nothing but cheers and applaud this time around. Rowen rested his back against the thick marble of Sage’s chair leg, crossing his arms and puffing out his chest in pride. What had he been so worried about? Kento could take care of himself; that was, until, Sage’s uncle gave a shout for all of the warriors to fight Kento in a free-for-all. Some of the noblemen hollered in excited delight while a few remained silent. Rowen was in an outrage and Cye’s hands flew up to his mouth in stunned shock. 

“That’s not fair!” Rowen hissed through his teeth as he watched the other twelve men encircle Kento, half with weapons and the other half with shields. He felt Sage’s hand squeeze his shoulder, as if silently telling him to be calm.

“Come on! I’ll take you all on single-handed!”

Kento challenged them without a shred of fear or doubt. He was waiting for one to make the first move, looking this way and that for the possible attacker. But he was unprepared for the lassoed rope that encircled his wrist, tugging with brutal force in an attempt to bring him down. Kento gasped but caught his balance, growling as he pulled at the rope, bringing the one on the other end face first into the mud. Kento wasn’t out of the dark yet and another rope did the same to his other wrist. Someone must have grabbed the first one for he felt both his arms being pulled painfully, threatening to yank them from the joints. Kento grit his teeth and in a desperate attempt to not give in to defeat he forced his limbs to flex against the rope. The two men holding opposite ends found themselves being dragged on their feet through the mud. Yet Kento’s movements were too slow for a third fighter jumped in to join the others. This one had a rope as well but looped it around Kento’s neck from behind, pulling tight to squeeze the breath from the thick throat.

“They’re cheating!” Rowen jumped up and shouted from the viewing balcony. “They’re fucking cheating!”

“Rowen! Stand down!” Sage shouted.

Rowen ignored him, leaping himself over the balcony railing and hopping down the decorative statues like a graceful stag. He saw one of the guards had a bow and arrow so he forced the weapon and quiver from the man. The guard tried to grab for him but Rowen was well out of reach by then. Sage and Cye could be heard shouting his name but he paid them no mind, leaping over the arena wall to join in with the brawl. The mud slowed his run yet he was still able to shove through the circle of warriors and stand in front of Kento’s now fallen body. With immense speed, Rowen threw the quiver over his shoulder, readied an arrow, and aimed it at one of the fighters.

“Rowen, I can handle this!” Kento wheezed out, trying to fight against the constricting force of the rope around his neck.

“Drop the damn ropes and I won’t shoot!”

The other fighters fell silent for a moment, and then began to laugh. One even mocked Rowen, calling him a skinny sissy who should go back to Sage’s bed. Rowen felt his anger flaring up as the fighters started to gather together and continue to laugh at him and Kento. At least the men had let go of the ropes and Kento was able to stand, quickly removing the ropes from his limbs and neck. Rowen still had his arrow locked and ready to fire.

“Hey, blue-hair, this is all a game for the noblemen!” Shouted one fighter. “Don’t try and act so noble when you’re nothing but a little servant!” The man aimed his sword, and the others who had the weapon as well did the same. The other half with the shields crouched behind the heavy wood, moving in close to the fighters with the swords. They were using a wall-like technique to appear threatening and act as one solid feature all moving at the same time.

Rowen recognized it as a useful tactic when battling high numbers, but there were only two of them. Kento was rubbing his throat and trying to catch his breath to prepare for another fight.

“If you two think you can fight the twelve of us then you’re both going to lose your little balls before they drop!” Said another.

Rowen swallowed, knowing full well that if he attempted to attack such a high number they would fail but he wasn’t going to back down. Kento was his best friend and he would risk his life for the big lug if he had two. He pulled the bow further back, tightening the string to the point where it made the muscle ache in his wrist. But as luck would have it, Rowen and Kento were not alone in this fight. In a flash they were joined by Sage, Ryo, and Cye; all three coming to help defend his friend. When the warriors saw Ryo’s twin blades, Cye’s spear, and a borrowed blade in their lord’s hand, they quickly backed off. Rowen carefully lowered his arrow as he watched the fighters back away from them, clearly intimidated by the five of them together. They stood in a line side-by-side, weapons ready, facing the small army of twelve. Rowen felt that this seemed right to him somehow, standing beside these four young men all fighting for a single purpose; and so much more.

End Chapter 4 TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

He couldn’t believe it.

Rowen was prepared to stand his ground, alone, to protect his fallen friend, yet the arrival of the other three baffled him. The warriors backed off in defeat, but not because of the threat of four young men. Rowen knew it was because Sage was amongst them; their young lord and master. The fighters had all turned away from the five, dropping the ropes as they did. Kento quickly jumped up from the ground, pulled off the ropes, and stood next to Rowen. 

“I had a grip on things, you know.” Kento stated with smug annoyance. “But thanks anyway, I guess.” 

Cye lowered his spear. “They had you tied up like some sow! There was no way you could have beaten them without some help.”

“Besides,” Ryo sheathed his swords “They were cheating; and while such a despicable tactic is accepted here, it is not allowed in my presence!” 

“Agreed!” Kento gave a sheepish grin and put his arm around Rowen’s shoulders. “Well, I guess it doesn’t hurt to have some buddies show up and scare away the bad guys!” He turned his smoke-blue eyes to Sage, raising a heavy brow. “Surprised to see you here.”

Sage stood perfectly poised as he dropped the borrowed sword into the mud. “I share the same philosophy as Ryo.”

“SEIJI!” Shouted his uncle in the old tongue, and then started a slew of yelling that only Sage and Rowen could understand. 

“I should go.” Sage said plainly. “Rowen, meet me in my room tonight after supper. I’m calling an end to this meeting right now and have much to do.” 

Rowen watched as Sage left the group, walking away with such grace and poise as if he were a god. He also noticed that, for wearing mostly white and standing the mud, Sage didn’t have ONE SPECT of dirt on him. It was as if dirt and grim never touched that porcelain skin and if it did, it would just bounce off. Still, Sage had come to his aid and that of his friend when he didn’t have to. Now the blonde was getting scolded for it, and not just by his uncle but by the other old men as well. Sage seemed to pay it no mind, continuing on away from them with stoic features and a straight back. 

“Meet him in his room, huh?” Kento tapped a finger on Rowen’s shoulder and the blue haired man shoved him off.

“Get over yourself. It’s not what you think. I just saved your ass, so be grateful for that!”

“Geez, what’s with the attitude?” Kento gave him a light shove. 

Rowen placed his hands on his hips and watched as Sage left from sight. “I wish I had a banana peel that I could throw and make him slip!” 

Ryo gave a crooked smile and Cye just laughed.

“He’s the Warrior of Grace and Beauty!” Cye mocked playfully. 

“He’s not THAT good looking!” Kento waved the word off with his hand. 

“Oh, I could think of a few more words for him.” Rowen snuffed. Even though he was growing to like Sage, there were still bits of the man that ruffled his feathers. 

Cye took Kento’s large hand in his own. “Come on, let’s get you back to the barracks and cleaned up! I’m sure you’ve pleased many of the nobles today! You fought brilliantly!”

“Thanks Cye!” Kento turned to Rowen. “Hey, Ro? You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He gave Kento a thumbs up. “Just keep hangin’ in there, buddy! I’ll get you out of there!” After a wave goodbye, Cye led Kento to the barracks and Rowen turned to Ryo. “Now what?”

Ryo scratched his cheek. “Um…I guess just…do whatever you want until it’s time for you to see Sage. Walk around a bit. There’s lots to see! We have the gardens and the farmyard and the library to see!” 

Rowen grinned then. “Ah, the library! I think I’ll stop there first.” There was so much more he wanted to learn about the Empire, as well as the growing Dynasty. All thoughts of Sage were pushed out of his mind as he let Ryo lead him to the library.

///

“I won’t hear of it!” Shouted his uncle, slamming a fist on the table. “I don’t care what your father said, but I will NOT approve of this! How dare you ask something so rash of your father as he clings to life day after day! How shameful! To make your father suffer so! Asking him such ridiculous boons when he is barely able to articulate!” 

Sage sat at the opposite end of his uncles desk, arms crossed, with a piece of paper nestled in his hand. Within the document was his written request to start building up a council of his own. While he had begun the process some time ago after Cye had come, Sage still needed the permission from his father to do so, since he was underage. After seeing Kento fight in the arena today, and hearing the nobles speak of the peasants attacking them in the streets, Sage wanted all the help he could get. TRUSTED HELP. He did not trust the men in his father’s council, viewing them all as treacherous spiders and double-talking demons. Sage was certain they would happily stand by while his father died, with not one lifting a finger to help. He knew that his father’s final days were approaching, and the doctor said it would only be a matter of time for each day the elder man grows worse. Sage was preparing for that day, had suffered with the reality of it, and now was set to face it with willful strength and grace. He would be named the young lord and heir, yet his uncle would be Lord Regent until Sage came of age. How silly, he thought, that ruling could only come at a certain age without giving any recognition to skill and intelligence. However, it was tradition, and Sage was bred to follow it…but not without bending the rules a little.

“Uncle, my father was in full cognitive processing when I presented him with this paper. He agrees that I should start having my own council, and asking them for advise instead of these old men you bother yourself with.” 

His uncle was taken aback. “Foolish boy! These men may be old, but they have experience under their council robes! Experience you will need in the days to come! The Dynasty grows stronger by the day! Soon their armies will outnumber ours!”

“Yes, which is why there needs to be some changes made around here.” He uncrossed his arms and opened the document, presenting the signature of his father to his uncle. “This is my father’s signature; with it comes his word of permission for me to do as I please. I will build my own council, and you will not stop me.”

“A council of premature boys!” His uncle threw the paper at him. “A council made up of COMMONERS? A swordsman, a servant, a slave, and what, a fighter now? Do you wish to bring shame upon this family name by adding PEASANTS? Servants and whores have no place at a council table!” 

Sage flashed his uncle a cold glare, one that sent a tremor down the old man’s back. “Everybody is somebody. Unlike you, uncle, I look for qualities needed in a council, not just money, title, and status.”

His uncle threw his head back and laughed. “Wait, I know what this is about! Your NEW little blue haired slave awakened these ideas in your head! Seiji, are you really that easily controlled by a lithe body, soft limbs, and exotic features? That blue haired slave is a wild child! A primitive beast from the woods! His father was a mad scientist and a traitor! This pretty boy will end up being a traitor just like his father! Do not let such wanton desire and boyish lust clog your thought process, Seiji!”

It was Sage’s turn to slam his fist on the desk. “Do not think you know the motives behind what I do, uncle! Do not speak of Rowen as if you know him personally because you don’t! This is my decision, and that of my father, the TRUE DATE family leader! I will choose whom I want on my council! I will even take the new fighter, Kento, as one of my bodyguards!”

A gasp. “No! You would let a filthy forest dweller- “

“You do not know as much as you think you do, dear uncle.” Sage stood up from his chair. “Changes are to be made around here, and they will be made by ME. I am the heir to the Date family name! I will see things done MY WAY from now on! Your input is still welcomed, uncle, but be prepared to have them mostly fall upon deaf ears!” He tossed the paper onto the desk and turned to leave. “I bid you good day, uncle.”

His uncle growled and flopped back in his chair. “Insolent boy!” 

///

Rowen had lost himself in a pile of books near the stain-glass window, completely and utterly amazed by the knowledge he was observing from various pages of written word. The ‘Keeper of the Books’ worked tirelessly to put back the finished books, which just seemed to be a never ending tower. Rowen studied the pages very closely, focusing on every genre from history to science. He never wanted this to end! Right now he was in heaven, and all previous thoughts or annoyances were wiped out by numbers and words. Time was lost to him, and he barely noticed that the sun had stopped shining through the colored glass. Even his candles were burning down to their last bit of wick before the bookkeeper came over to him.

“My friend, I’m sorry to say, but the library is closing for the evening. Please come back tomorrow morning.”

Rowen looked up at the old woman. “Closing? So soon?”

She looked surprised by his words. “Sir, the moon is already high in the sky. I have left the library open for you longer than it should be.”

“That late?” He looked at the five books that were still piled high atop of one another. “May I borrow these, then? I wish to finish reading them in my room.”

“Of course. Take as many as you like, just please, bring them back.”

“Sure, no sweat.” He gathered up the remaining five books. “Sorry for keeping you here so late, miss. Just kick me out next time!” He chuckled. “Lord Sage won’t mind if-“ He gasped “Lord Sage!” Rowen was supposed to meet him in his room but he had so much reading material that he didn’t want to abandon the books. What did Sage want him for anyway? Rowen figured he’d just bring the books along with him, so he carried them to Sage’s room and knocked on the door with his foot. “Sage? It’s me, Rowen.”

“Come in.” 

Rowen carefully balanced the books on his forearm and pushed the door open. “Sorry if I’m late. Got caught up in a lot of reading.”

“No matter. I was on my way to bed, though.” Sage said from his standing spot in front of the fire. 

“Oh, should I leave then?” 

“Not yet. I would like to tell you something.” Pale purple eyes focused on the arm full of books. “Put the books down and join me on the balcony.”

Rowen placed the books on Sage’s writing desk and walked through the sheer curtains to the balcony. Sage was resting his arms on the stone railing and gazing out into the city when Rowen stood beside him. A look of determination was evident on his face and Rowen reached a hand out to place on the other’s shoulder. “What’s eatin’ you?”

“There are going to be some changes around here in the next few days, and you are part of it.”

Blue brows rose in curiosity. “Oh?”

Sage would not meet his gaze as he spoke. “Today I spoke with my father about building my own council, and he agreed to let me do it. When I told my uncle, he wasn’t happy. The last thing we need is a civil war going on in my family on top of everything else. Yet I’m going to proceed with building my own council regardless.”

“I think it’s a great idea, Sage. I saw the guys your family has now and let me say this, out with the old and in with the new!”

“Precisely.” He replied with a soft sigh. “But my family is very traditional. If only my father was well then things would be much better. Even with my own council my uncle will still overrule me until I am of legal age. I will still fight my hardest.”

Rowen casually crossed his arms. “Can’t that be changed? I mean, your dad is the boss here, can’t he name you the full heir and kick your uncle out?”

Sage closed his eyes. “Tradition.”

“Oh.” He rolled his eyes. “Sometimes tradition needs to be refreshed. But I must ask,” He smirked “Who do you have in mind for your council?”

“You’re smirking, aren’t you?” Sage smiled and opened his eyes, but continued to stare at the city. “Since you already know the answer, I still have to ask.” He turned and looked at Rowen. “Would you consider being on my council?”

“Hm…let me think about that.” He said in a teasing tone. 

“And before you ask, yes, I’m adding Kento into the council as well. Ryo needs an extra set of hands when it comes to protecting the family name. And of course, Cye and Ryo will be on my council as well. There’s five of us in total.”

Rowen grinned. “Make me the head advisor and you’ve got a deal!”

“You must prove yourself, then.” Sage said and turned to walk back into his chambers. “Tell me your thoughts on the meeting today and I will make my decision.” The young lord took a seat on the fainting couch and looked at Rowen, awaiting the other’s feedback. 

“Am I allowed to speak plainly since we are in private?” Sage nodded. “Alright, then let me start by stating that your uncle and father’s council men are a bunch of cowards. At today’s meeting, when mentioning the Dynasty, each one appeared to be shaking in their robes! With great fear like that comes surrender, and from what I saw today, the underling tone WAS surrender. The Empire has been at peace for too long and the people have grown gluttonous, lazy, and greedy when it comes to their perfect daily life. Hedonism doesn’t even begin to describe the nobility of the Empire. I am confidant in stating that these councilmen will hide behind their money and let the Empire fall in the hands of the Dynasty. They will surrender to fascism in hopes they may keep their happy little lives, avoid the taxes that come with war, and keep on taking from the people. If we don’t fight off the Dynasty then the Empire will fall, along with everything we own. We need to fight back; and fight for the freedom of our realm.”

“I fully agree with you.” Sage replied. “However, we are only one county. I cannot speak for the many others that may or may not support our philosophy. Shortly there will be a group county meeting where delegates from each one come to present their terms of business. The topic of this upcoming county meeting will be whether or not we choose to go war with the Dynasty.” 

“Then you have to be that delegate! Don’t let your uncle go or else this family name is doomed!”

Sage narrowed his gaze. “I understand that, but it’s going to be hard because I am not of age to be present at such a meeting.”

Rowen stomped his foot. “Get your father to sign a document stating that you are going to go in his place! What good is being a noble lord if you cannot request something so simple as having a trusted family member go in your place? How can anyone deny that?” 

“You’d be surprised.” He replied. “But I will see what I can do.”

“Sage,” Rowen’s tone was stern and even “You need to go to that meeting no matter what the cost!”

“You’re right, but I fear being one of the few there who wants to fight and not surrender. Majority vote wins.” He laced his fingers together. “The question is, how do I convince these old geezers to go to war? And what about the people? A war will frighten them and add a heavy tax to their wallets. Our army is small compared to the Dynasty, and we cannot recruit young men and women to fight if they don’t want to. The Dynasty-“

“Forces them.” Rowen finished. “They’re forced to fight because they fear their leader. Fear can work in two ways. One, it can drive a warrior to greatness in order to gain respect and safety from their lord. Playing on the greediness of human emotions forces them to act immorally to save their own skin. The second being, of course, that there is no fighting spirit within the warrior. Their fear of battle and death forces them to run or surrender; and holds them back from fighting to the best of their ability. I read up on the Dynasty tonight, in great length, and have learned a great deal about their reign. It’s forced famine and empty promises at the hands of that tyrant, Talpa.”

“Yes, and with any hope the Empire will recognize that and choose to fight so we can keep our ways. Still, there is that worry of majority vote; and then we have to wonder where we go from there. If our armies won’t fight and the people hide in their beds, then how do we proceed?”

Rowen rests his hand on the desk and places the other on his hip. “Simple. Send a group to kill the tyrant and his reign will end.”

Sage turned to gaze at Rowen, realizing what he meant; and was even considering it. 

///

Ryo yawned loudly as he leaned back into the warmth of White Blaze. He was awakened from a deep sleep by Rowen, saying for him to come to Sage’s chambers. Cye was present as well, resting his head on Kento’s shoulder; another who was pulled from his peaceful slumber. They all gathered in Sage’s chamber by the dying fire, trying to keep their eyes open as Rowen and Sage stood before them. 

“Guys, what’s this all about?” Ryo asked, still groggy. “I got a bunch of stuff to do in the morning.”

“Yeah, and I need my beauty sleep!” Kento added in.

“You’d need a hundred nights to achieve that goal!” Cye politely teased, followed by a small yawn. Kento stuck his tongue out at the other, too tired for a proper comeback. 

Sage cleared his throat. “Sorry for dragging you all out of bed, but this is something that couldn’t wait till morning.”

“Sage and I have been doing some talking about the future of the Empire.” Rowen started. “As you all know, they Dynasty is-“

“The what?” Kento interrupted. Rowen quickly explained it to him before continuing on.

“So, as you all know, the Dynasty is creeping closer and closer to the Empire. Sage and I both fear that the majority of the nobles in the Empire will not choose to fight the Dynasty, but instead surrender. If that happens, then we will all fall under tyrant rule, including our clan.” He said, looking at Kento who seemed to wake up after hearing that.

Cye spoke next. “But if they surrender, then what can we do?”

“I rather die than live under such dictation!” Kento said loudly, slamming his fist into his palm. “There is no justice in that kind of rule!”

“Well, I won’t surrender!” Ryo spoke next. “I’m not giving up!”

Cye narrowed his gaze in Ryo’s direction. “But what can we DO? If everyone is against us, then how can we-“

Sage interrupted him. “Well, Rowen had an idea about that. Rowen.” He motioned for the other to speak.

“If that’s the direction things are moving in, than we will take matters into our own hands! We will kill the tyrant Talpa ourselves and save the Empire! If we’re the only ones left in this world with the spirit and strength to fight, then I say let’s do it! What we want to know is if you guys are with us? As a team.”

The three men looked at each other momentarily, considering the offer. It was Ryo who spoke first.

“Count me in!”

“Me too!” Added Kento.

“Me three!” 

“That was lame, Cye.” Rowen scolded. “Remember, this is only if the Empire votes to surrender, but we are still a team!” He turned to Sage and motioned for the other to speak.

Sage quickly explained to them about the making of his own council, what his father is allowing, and what his uncle had said. “So what I am asking is if you four will be a part of my new council?” Kento and Ryo were completely stunned and Cye looked up at Sage with surprise. “I have your positions in mind already. Rowen will be our main advisor.” Rowen puffed his chest proudly. “Ryo, you’re still our head swordsman and Kento, you will typically be our bodyguard. Cye, you’re…um…you’re our…” Sage tapped his lip, trying to think of a position and title for Cye that wasn’t just his personal servant and groom. They were all warriors already, so what else could Cye be?

Kento grinned and pulled Cye into a tight, one arm hug. “He’s our trusted messenger and speaker! Let him talk to everybody and deliver stuff! He’s nice and sweet and friendly, no one would suspect him!”

Sage smiled. “Just what I was thinking!” Cye wasn’t fooled by his smile and knew he was lying. 

“I will humbly accept the position.” Cye answered. “I think the five of us will be a great team. It feels like we’ve all been friends already.”

“Wait.” Rowen raised his finger. “I just thought of something. Should we set out on our own we’ll be running into enemy territory, and I don’t just mean the Dynasty. I know that even the city residents aren’t thrilled with the government the way it is. If they see Sage out and about without an entourage of guards they may attack him.” Rowen looked at Sage. “There’d be a high price on your head if you’re kidnapped.” 

“Maybe we can hide his appearance?” Ryo offered. 

“There’s no mistaking that blonde hair and those purple eyes.” Said Rowen. “He’ll be recognized immediately.” 

“I could wear a cloak.” Sage offered.

Cye chuckled with, “we can always cut your hair?”

Purple eyes widened slightly. “No.”

“Hey yeah, that could work!” Rowen snickered, along with Kento. Ryo was amused but knew when to keep his mouth shut. “Just one quick snip ought to do it!”

“Don’t touch my hair!” The blonde said through his teeth.

“Perhaps we could tie it back?” Cye offered. “Or maybe put it in two big, fat braids?”

Ryo laughed out loud at that. “Then he’ll look like a doll!”

“Be quiet, all of you!” Sage demanded, and four sets of eyes were on him. “I’ll tie something around my head or wear a veil to cover the blonde.”

“So before we continue on, do I still have to sleep in the barrack cell?” Kento asked Sage. “Do I get my own room?”

“You can bunk with Ryo tonight. Tomorrow we’ll make everything official, for the sooner we get this established the better off we’re going to be.”

“But I bunk with Ryo!” Cye pouted. “What about me?”

“We’ll slide ya in the middle!” Kento slapped the other’s back. “You’re skinny enough!”

“Am not!” Cye counted with a playful punch to Kento’s shoulder. 

Rowen started to head for the door. “Well, I need to get some more reading done so I’m going back to my room.” He gathered up his books “I’ll see you guys in the morning.”

Sage wanted to call the other back but he was hesitant to do so in front of Kento. Although he trusted the other because Cye and Rowen did, it still didn’t change the fact that Kento was ‘technically’ Rowen’s intended. The last thing he needed was to start a fight, and when it came to brute strength (as he had seen in the arena) he wouldn’t last that long. It would be better to let Rowen handle Kento. He had to admit that he was looking forward to having Rowen stay with him tonight because the young man shared many of his interests on an intelligent level. Rowen is ideal for a match of wits and intelligent conversation. Cye was like a second mother, offering gentle care and comfort when needed. Ryo was great listener and loyal supporter. He didn’t know Kento on a personal level just yet. 

But Rowen had already left, with the other three following a moment after. Cye held Kento’s hand as they left with Ryo bringing up the rear with White Blaze. They had all said ‘goodnight’ to him and now Sage was alone in his big room; but he didn’t feel alone inside. It was a tender feeling, and a comforting one that came without the help of Cye. His sleepiness suddenly hit him full force and without bothering to change he settled down into bed. Tomorrow suddenly looked a whole lot brighter.

///

The next morning, Lord Sage had invited his new council members for a private breakfast in the main meeting room, which was currently closed off to anyone except the servants. He had awakened early to make these demands on the servants and have everything ready by the time the others came down. A messenger was sent to each of their rooms telling them to meet for the breakfast. He had everything made fresh, from the coffee to the bread. There was a wide assortment of meat, fruit, grains, and cheese since he really didn’t know what all of them liked to eat. Normally he never had a sit-down feast with Cye or Ryo, for they were always on duty to him. At least this way he covered all bases and everything was in order. However, there were only three of his council members present, not four. Ryo, Cye, and Kento had come, all waiting patiently for the arrival of the fourth to finally eat. Sage noticed Kento was squirming in his chair and whining softly as he took in the array of food on the table. Something told him he should put in for another round of breakfast food. 

“Where is Rowen?” Sage finally asked. “The food will grow cold.”

“He’s probably sound asleep.” Kento answered. “I can go get him, because I’m starving and I wanna eat!” 

“I’ll go with him.” Cye offered and Sage gave a curt nod. 

“Yes, go and fetch him.” Sage wasn’t very found of tardiness but would let it go this time. Watching the two of them leave, Sage glanced at Ryo who was trying to sneak a roll without being noticed. “You’ve been noticed.” Sage said flatly.

Ryo quickly pulled his hand away and placed both in his lap, trying to appear innocent. 

///

“Do you suppose he’s still asleep?” Cye asked Kento as he led the other to Rowen’s room.

“If he stayed up after that late-night get together we had; then I would say ‘yes’.” Kento put his hand on the door handle, ready to open it when Cye stopped him.

“We should knock first.”

Kento rolled his eyes. “You could bust through this door with a wreaking beam, it won’t wake him.” He pushed the door open and stepped inside. “Ro?” There were some books left open on the floor while a long limber body snored softly from the bed, one arm hanging over the edge. “Yup. Just like home.” 

“Aww, he looks so peaceful. Maybe we should let him sleep.”

Kento let out a short laugh. “He’ll sleep all damn day! Here, just for laughs, you try and wake him. Go ahead.”

Cye gave the other a skeptic look before approaching the sleeping form on the bed. Softly, Cye rubbed his back, shaking him slightly. “Rowen, it’s time to get up.” No response. “Rowen. Come on now, it is time to eat.” The response was a snort, and then a snore. Cye huffed. “Rude!” 

“I told ya!” Kento pushed him aside and gave Rowen a violent shake. “HEY! BUDDY! WAKE UP!” 

Another snort, furrowed angry brows, and Rowen shoved his head under the pillow. Kento gripped the pillow and gave it a quick tug, but Rowen’s fists were clenched tightly at the edge. “COME ON RO! TIME TO EAT! YOU’RE KEEPING ME BACK FROM ALL THAT FOOD!” 

“Go away.” Came a muffled voice.

“Fine then, we’ll do this the hard way.” Kento rubbed his hands together and stood at the foot of the bed. Gripping the sides of the mattress he pulled the bed away from the wall. Walking around it, he stood behind the headboard, lifted from the bottom with a slight grunt, and forced Rowen’s body to slide to the floor. Cye gasped at the rather extreme act of waking up the other with hands flying to his mouth. Rowen tumbled to the floor and snorted awake, eyes narrow slits as he quickly perceived the situation, and then curled back up on the tangled covers. Kento calmly walked to the pile that was Rowen and untangled the limbs from the sheets. Kento lifted him from the floor in his arms and the blue haired man continued to snore even as they left the room. “He stayed up all night reading.” He told Cye as they proceeded back to the meeting hall. “Probably forgot to eat, too.”

“He needs to get on a steady sleeping pattern.” Cye watched the sleeping man’s face for any signs of waking up. “I wonder what Sage will say when he sees you carrying him like this? Sage likes to have everything planned and in order…as well as on a proper schedule.”

Kento shifted the sleeping form in his arms as they started down some steps. “Don’t let Sage blame him for being late. He can’t always help his tiredness.” 

When they reentered the meeting hall, the first thing Sage noticed was Rowen still asleep and being carried. He narrowed his gaze, tapping a finger on the table. “Kento, put him down. Carrying around a grown man like that who is too lazy to get up is unacceptable. He is not a child.”

“Eh, I don’t mind it. I’m used to it. I’ll just sit him in a chair and-“

“Make him stand.” Sage demanded in an even tone. Kento made no move to do so, and Sage repeated himself again. “Put him down and let him walk.” 

Ryo used this chance to go unnoticed as he popped a grape in his mouth.

“Is fine…Kento.” Rowen slurred from the warm chest that was his makeshift pillow. “I hear’em.” 

He slowly slid out of the other’s hold and stood on his own two feet, scratching the back of his head. He peeked a blue eye open at Sage, noting the look of annoyance on those pale features. Rowen didn’t care if he offended Sage with his tardiness, and gingerly took a seat. His eyelids were still heavy from lack of sleep but he forced them to stay open; along with the smell of food being a big help. 

“So good of you to finally join us, Rowen.” Sage kept his tone even and polite. “Stayed up late?”

“Mmhmm.” Rowen answered.

“Doing what?”

“Reading.” 

“Can we talk and eat?” Kento cut in. “I’m starving!”

Sage waved them on with his hand. “Yes, go ahead.”

“Great! I’m hungry as a horse!” Ryo said with a grin and began to fill up his plate. Kento was piling massive amounts of food on his plate with most of it tumbling off the sides. Cye instantly went for the oatmeal and Rowen was still trying to keep his eyes open as he filled his plate. 

Sage had to remind himself that two of these men were used to eating in the servant’s quarters and the other two came from a clan. In time he would have to teach them how to act and behave like proper councilmen…starting with basic table manners. Ryo had belched not once, but twice, since putting the first piece of bread in his mouth. Kento was inhaling the food, appearing to not even be chewing as he gorged like a man starved for days. Cye was the most appropriate out of the four with a napkin on his lap and cutting the food to smaller portions. Rowen looked ready to fall face-first into his oatmeal as he kept nodding off and jerking awake. But, he wanted his council to be made up of trustworthy people, which didn’t need to include etiquette. Although it wouldn’t hurt. But his gaze focused on Rowen again, taking a solid moment to carefully study the still groggy man. Rowen’s hair was all disheveled from sleep, and if he didn’t know any better he would have thought the man had just come from a tumble in the hay. Yet the rather rugged, tasseled look allured him somehow. Rowen’s brows suddenly furrowed in irritation and for a second Sage thought he was caught staring. Instead, a piece of bread from Kento’s gorging had hit the blue haired man’s wrist as he was eating. In retaliation, Rowen threw the piece back at him. Kento picked it up and this time meant to toss it at the other. 

“Come on you two,” came Cye’s voice “don’t fight.”

But they weren’t fighting. Instead, the two were having fun tossing the piece of bread back and forth. Yet Rowen decided to step it up a notch to win and tossed not just the bread but a grape as well. Sage was ready to stop them but Kento’s elbow landed on the handle of a spoon, sending a glob of oatmeal in Ryo’s direction. Ryo was taken by surprise when the sticky mass of white landed on his left cheek and eye. The dark haired man just looked dazed, mouth hung open in that ‘what just happened’ manner. The other three, minus Sage, started to laugh at Ryo’s stunned reaction. Glaring in mock anger, Ryo, with little shame, picked up two quail eggs from his plate to chuck them at Kento and Rowen. Now it was a three-way food fight, with Cye laughing along in the fun but shielding his face with the napkin. Sage couldn’t believe what was happening, that was, until he was slammed in the face with a rather large pad of slightly melted butter. Everyone froze. The pad of butter slowly slipped down Sage’s cheek to fall and make a loud ‘plop’ as it hit his lap. 

“I guess this means we’re in trouble?” Rowen asked. “I mean, we already ‘buttered’ you up first so…” he started to snicker. “We off the hook?” The other three had started to chuckle as well. 

Sage, very calmly, looked down at his plate consisting of fresh cut various fruits, bread, one slice of breakfast meat, and a quail egg. He didn’t know what made him do it, but a piece of mango was perfectly placed in the dip of his spoon. Looking at Rowen, he held the spoon with one hand and used the other to bend the top back. “Bad joke.” He let the mango fly in Rowen’s direction, but the other never dodged the piece of fruit even though he had enough time to do it. Or maybe he was still too tired. Whatever the reason, Rowen laughed gleefully and flicked a grape at Sage. 

“FOOD FIGHT!” Kento shouted, declaring war. 

And before they knew it, small food particles were flying in all directions across the table. Although he was covered in bits of food, Sage found himself actually laughing. Not roaring laughter like the others, but it was still laughter nonetheless. This went against all his grace and courtesy, which he always upheld with the greatest of discipline. And he was finding that it was rather, well, a relief to let loose and have a little fun. It was still getting to be too much and someone would have to put an end to it. And that someone would be him.

“Alright, everyone stop! Stop! This isn’t the proper way to have a council breakfast!”

“But you had fun though.” Rowen pointed out with a grin.

Sage cleared his throat. “Perhaps this type of fun is something we should avoid in the near future.” It was difficult to take someone seriously who had watermelon seeds in his blonde hair and covered in grits. “I’m trying to prove a point to my uncle and all his cronies.” 

“Sage is right.” Ryo seconded him, using a napkin to wipe some sort of syrup off his cheek. “We got a little carried away there.”

Cye stood up from his chair, brushing some crumbs off of his lap. “I don’t know about you boys but I need a bath. I’m covered in so much…ick.” 

“Oh! Good idea, Cye!” Rowen finished the rest of Kento’s goat milk, ignoring the ‘hey!’ that came with it. “I’ll come too.”

“Maybe we should all go.” Sage offered. “We can discuss everything else there.” As much as he wanted to get clean, he was more excited about seeing Rowen naked. 

///

The only one of them who had any shred of decency and shame was Cye, who chose to keep one of the towels tied tightly around his waist. Kento and Ryo were having a splash fight in the center of the large pool and Sage himself was resting against the wall, enjoying the cool water around his midsection. He wouldn’t let anyone into the hot tub until they had fully washed off here. Rowen had complained about that, and to Sage’s disappointment the man was still wearing a towel around his waist. He thought Rowen wasn’t going to remove the towel at all, but when Sage saw those agile fingers untying the knot his breath caught in his throat. Rowen wasn’t looking in his direction so Sage took the opportunity to stare at the now naked body of his young archer and advisor. Rowen had an athletic body, lithe and long, with light skin like Sage’s own and fine muscle tone. Sage could tell, just from his body structure, that Rowen was indeed swift. If he was as good an archer as he claimed to be, then with that particular skill comes great balance and upper body strength. Just then, Sage tried to imagine how Rowen’s body would look arched like a bow in pleasure. It was too soon to be thinking of things like that. To get Rowen into his bed it would take very careful planning. He would have to approach Rowen as if he were a wild horse; calm and gentle, or else it will run away. Or possibly attack, with ‘attack’ being the most likely. When Rowen finally entered the bathing pool the archer was making his way over to him. 

“Hey there. Sorry about the food fight before.” Rowen sat beside him. “Sometimes I can get a bit carried away with things.” 

“Well, it was certainly more livelier than what I am used to.” The blonde responded. 

“You even joined in! That surprised me, I have to say. Didn’t think ‘fun’ was in your vocabulary.”

Sage appeared miffed at the comment, but answered in an even tone. “My type of ‘fun’ is not quite the same as yours. Perhaps it was my pride leading me to engage in that ridiculous game of food throwing. I wasn’t about to let you guys win.”

Rowen let his body slip further into the water. “Sure, you keep telling yourself that.” He dunked himself under the water to wash off any other bit of food particles he had. “There! Now, onto the hot tub.”

“Shouldn’t you wash more before-“ Sage’s words went unnoticed, or possibly ignored, when Rowen lifted himself from the pool and walked to the other. “Nice.” Sage said with sarcasm. ‘I’m the lord here. I should just force him back here and to do as I say.’ He watched Rowen enter the hot water. ‘But I don’t want to be like my uncle…and Rowen IS a wild little thing.’ It was his turn to slip down into the water and sigh. ‘I’ll let it go.’

“Sage?” It was Ryo coming over to take Rowen’s spot. “Sorry, were you resting?”

“No Ryo, it’s quite alright.” He smiled at his friend. “So how are you liking the new arrangements so far?” 

Blue eyes were alive with glee. “It’s awesome! I got to eat a lot of good food and I get to bathe in this place! Thanks for asking me to be a part of this, Sage. I really do appreciate it.”

“You’re welcome, Ryo.” Cye’s sudden yelp from across the bathing pool caught their attention. “What is going on?” Kento had snatched away Cye’s towel and was taunting the poor boy with it. Cye was trying to stay low in the water, his face red with embarrassment while trying to grab the towel. ‘What have I started?’ Sage asked himself.

“Hey, look at that!” Rowen laughed from the tub. “Baby Beluga verses Little Koi! The epic battle!” 

“Kento, give it back!” 

“Well, then you’d best come up and get it!” Kento held it just out high enough out of Cye’s reach so the man would be forced to stand up from the safety of the water.

Ryo chuckled from his spot beside Sage and turned to see the reaction of his friend, which was absent of all amusement. “Come on, Sage. Lighten up a bit. You were having fun at breakfast this morning.”

“That was…just my pride wanting to win.” Sage knew Ryo could tell that he was lying, but Ryo wouldn’t point it out. He didn’t have too for his expression said it all. 

“But isn’t this nice, though?” Ryo looked at Kento and Cye playing in the water and listened briefly to Rowen’s obnoxious teasing. “It feels like we’ve been friends forever; the five of us, I mean. We’re all acting like we already know each other. Maybe it really is that ‘bond’ that Cye always talks about? Right?” He looked to Sage.

“Maybe.” There was some truth in Ryo’s words, and he had to agree that the five of them together like this felt normal…even with the annoying distractions. Still, his primary focus was Rowen.

///

‘He’s still looking at me.’ Rowen said to himself while watching the water match between Kento and Cye. ‘I can feel him looking at me.’

Rowen needed to move away from Sage and come into this pool before he was unable to hide his blush. With the hot water all around him he could blame the flush on the heat, and not on his primitive urges. The urges had come after he left the room to retreat back to his own. Sage shared many of his interests, and the two of them seemed to connect on a cognitive level. Even though Sage had some quirky ways about him, Rowen couldn’t deny the feeling of attraction for the blonde. While he was trying to forget about his growing lust last night he focused his mind on reading, which surprisingly did nothing to help as it usually did. It had only made things worse. The chapter he had stumbled upon in the science book had to deal with the mating cycles of animals. The smart thing to have done was try to ignore the irony and pick up another book. Instead, he chose to give in to his feelings and continue reading on. Bad idea. He ended up personifying Sage as a stag, a proud and noble beast with grace, strength, and agility. While Kento usually said that about him, Rowen personified himself as a bird of prey, particularly a falcon. Falcons were quick to attack; they were agile and proud as well, soaring through the sky with the ability to see the world. Rowen smiled at the dream of being able to fly and see the world below. Last night he even imagined himself as a falcon flying above Sage, who was the stag. The next image that followed was the one to set his heart alight; one of them returning to their human forms and strolling through the woods…only to join up with his first wet dream of Sage after they had just met. Such a simple memory was enough to get his heart pounding. Now he was going to be working even closer with Sage on a much more intimate level, for now he was the personal advisor. Would he be able to work so closely with Sage now that he knew of his true attraction to the blonde? Should he just give in to the primitive urges and get it out of his system? No, he couldn’t do that. Something so rash as sex for lust would never end well, and it may even ruin the relationship they are slowly starting to build. He could see Kento being furious by his quick judgment to sleep with Sage when he had always dismissed any such attempts brought on by his best friend. 

It seemed that if he were to have a sexual relationship with Sage in any way it would not only affect them but the other three as well. Cye had made it quite clear that he only slept with Sage earlier in their relationship, but it was only for comfort purposes. Still, there was no way of telling if Cye would be a little jealous of him stealing away Sage’s attention. Kento would be jealous and angry, but he would never ruin their friendship over it. Kento would be pissed for a while but then would come to accept it. Ryo had a relationship with Cye, but Rowen didn’t know on what grounds it was based on. As far as he knew, Sage and Ryo never had any sort of sexual relationship together, but he would still ask just out of mutual curiosity. Ryo was too virtuosos to engage in meaningless sex, although you never really know what goes through a person’s mind. At this time, such an attempt to ease his lust would surely break up, or at least damage, the friendship bond they were currently forming. What was he to do? 

And then, his eyes met Sage’s single one and now it wasn’t just the water that was hot, but himself as well. He pressed his thighs tightly together in an attempt to ease the growing ache between his legs. And to make matters worse, someone had entered the tub behind him and he knew immediately who it was. Cye had retrieved his towel, Ryo was rinsing his hair, and Sage was currently gazing at him. That left only one. He slumped his upper body over the tub and groaned. ‘Just my luck!’

End Chapter 5 TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Warnings: Language

Disclaimer: Don't own them.

Chapter 6

'Of all times for him to come into the tub! Jeez! Is someone up there against me?'

"Hey Ro. You looked lonely over here so I thought I'd join you!" Kento said, splashing around in the water behind him. "Man, this water is like soup! How can you stand it?"

Rowen wouldn't turn to look at him. "What are you? Dense or something? You know that I tend to get cold often and need to be warm! This water could actually be warmer than it is!"

"And there's that attitude again." He slapped the water. "What do you have to be pissed about?"

Now that Kento had found a way to annoy him the arousal he had disappeared. It was for the better. How would he explain to the guys if he had to get out the water with a hard-on? "Sorry to snap at you. That wasn't my intension." He glanced back at him. "You just interrupted my thoughts…and you know how much I hate that."

Kento rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know. So, why don't you come on over!" he grinned and pat the top of the water. "I'll rub your belly!"

Rowen crossed his eyes in annoyance, and then turned to Kento with a smile. "I don't think we need to subject the guys to that."

He raised a thick brow. "You're turning down a tummy rub? Was there something in that oatmeal?"

It was difficult to turn down a tummy rub. The only issue was that Sage is watching them; and how would the blonde react seeing him so close to Kento? But he didn't want to alert Kento to his attraction of Sage either. It was still too early in the game to reveal such secrets. So without another word, Rowen pushed himself away from the tub wall and backed in to Kento's chest. He let himself settle comfortably against the strong body, and sighed as the hot water, mixed with the immediate tummy rubbing, lulled him into a light sleep. It had only last a moment, the little snooze, and he opened his eyes with a smile, cuddling further into the wet warmth of his friend. But when he looked over at where Sage was he found the man to be missing. His brows furrowed slightly when a tuff of blonde appeared over the rim of the tub, and then the full form of Sage as he climbed the steps. Rowen had to advert his eyes when Sage removed the towel and settled into the hot water opposite of them. No one said a word, but Kento continued with the rubbing, which now had no effect. Rowen was too distracted by the object of his arousal sitting calmly across from them.

"Hey, is this where the party went?" Came Ryo's voice as he and Cye joined in the tub.

Rowen was relieved. 'Yes! Thank you Ryo and Cye!'

"Oh, this feels good." Cye sunk until the water level was beneath his eyes.

"How can you all stand this heat?" Kento asked. "I feel like a boiled chicken!"

"Well," Rowen started "If we're ever all stranded in the woods and dying of hunger, we know who to eat first. We'll call it, 'Kento Chicken Soup'." The others all laughed, except for Sage.

"Sage? Is anything wrong?" Cye asked.

"No. Nothing at all. I was just trying to relax in the water. Everyone was loud."

"Every party needs a pooper." Rowen laughed.

Sage's eyes narrowed in Rowen's direction. "I can be very delightful company at a party because-" Ryo interrupted with a snort of laughter and Sage jerked his head towards him "Something funny, Ryo?"

"No sir." Ryo sunk down into the water to hide his smile. Sage was 'delightful' all right. Delightfully boring. Yet it was all part of his duty to keep up the appearance of proper nobility. Yet Ryo could never see his friend as the hit of the party.

"You know, maybe I should rethink my-" Sage was interrupted again when a servant girl came hurrying in. She was tripping over her dress and panting from exhaustion.

"Lord Sage! Lord Sage!" She cried.

He turned around and leaned over the edge of the tub. "What is it?"

"Lord Sage, it's your father! The apothecary says he hasn't much time life! He has taken a turn for the worst! You must go to him!"

Sage's body went numb, but his mouth was able to speak. "I will be right there." The servant hurried out of the room.

The other four were silent, all exchanging glances wondering what they should do or say. Rowen still was unsure of how to read Sage, or what the man would want them to say. Was he the type to be standoffish and act like nothing is wrong? Or would he seek out the company and companionship of friends? Most likely the first, but this was Sage's father whom they were speaking about. Finally it was Cye who broke the ice when Sage climbed out of the tub.

"Sage? Is there anything we can do?"

He wrapped the towel around his waist but wouldn't look at them. "Just stand by. That's all."

"Stand by for what?" Kento asked. "Do you want us to be there?"

"No." Sage replied, flatly. "This is strictly a family matter. I just ask that you all stand by and…keep an eye on things around here. With my father's…final hours…there are bound to be some men snooping around. Good news travels fast."

"I hope things turn out all right?" Ryo tried to add some ray of hope to the dreary situation.

"Thank you for your hopeless words, Ryo." Sage's response was rude yet it held no tone of anger or sarcasm.

Ryo looked a little hurt by the response but a friendly hand on his shoulder from Cye made him feel better.

"Just let us know if there is anything we can do." Rowen stated. "For you or anyone else in your family, okay?"

"I will keep that in mind."

The four men remained in the tub while Sage dressed and left the bathing room. It was Ryo who spoke first. "So what should we do?"

Rowen looked over at him. "You know Sage better than us." He gestured to Kento. "What do you think we should do? How does he handle these types of…difficult situations?"

Ryo turned to Cye, who slowly tucked a strand of his wet auburn hair behind his ear. "He has known this day would come for quite some time now. I think the worst of it is over by now. I believe he has grieved and suffered and maybe even cried within the privacy of his own chambers already. It's not as much of a shock now." His green eyes looked at the others. "Still, I think we should stay very close to him tonight. If his father doesn't last much longer…then Sage will need trusted company."

Rowen crossed his arms, looking down at the foggy water as he spoke. "I agree with Cye. Once Sage's father has passed away the title goes directly to him. Although he is not of age yet he still holds great power, wealth, and land." Blue eyes lifted to look at Ryo. "How many old men are willing to kill a young one just to lay claim to a large establishment?"

Ryo clenched his fists under the water. "Then I'll be sleeping with my blades tonight; for Sage's sake."

"Maybe we should all sleep with a weapon." Kento suggested. "Even Sage."

"But we don't want to look obvious either." Rowen pointed out. "We still have his uncle, who, for a pompous old ass, is quite the troublemaker." His eyes widened and he stood up quickly from the water. "I need to get to the document room!"

"Whatever for?" Cye asked.

"Sage has that signed paper from his father stating that he is allowed to choose his own council! If someone else gets their hands on that then we're all screwed! Kento and I go back into chains, Cye and Ryo, you're back to dining at the servant's table! We can't make any changes that way! I need to get that document!"

Kento stood up as well. "I'll go with you."

"We'll go to Sage's father's chambers." Ryo said. "We'll keep an eye on things there."

"Good. Don't even blink! Keep any suspicious activity or person in mind and we'll discuss it later. Let's roll, Kento!"

"All right! Time for some action!"

/

Rowen and Kento hurried their way through the halls, dodging all the other frantic nobility and servants after hearing the news of the current lord. With any luck, all this chaos would make getting into the document room a lot easier. When they got there, the doors were open and scroll men were scurrying around like mice. In their arms were rolled up documents, each on pertaining to the death of a lord and the making of a new one. The men were too busy to care that Kento and Rowen were inside, looking in the most recent document in the current files section. Rowen hissed after looking at each one and not finding the one they needed.

"There should at LEAST be a copy!" Rowen groaned in frustration.

"Why don't we check Sage's room? Maybe it hasn't gotten here yet?"

Rowen gasped and slapped his forehead. "HIS ROOM! OF COURSE! Remember to slap me thoroughly later for that mishap!"

"As long as you put it in writing?"

Rowen just took his wrist and led them through the crowds and to Sage's room. But they stopped dead in their tracks as a young serving boy exited from the chambers, holding a piece of rolled up paper. It had the tied ribbon and seal of Sage's house. Whether or not it was the document they were looking for the young boy was still a thief. Rowen shouted 'hey' at the boy, who, after spotting both men, chose to flee. Kento and Rowen ran after him but the boy was smaller and faster. They couldn't lose that scroll! Thinking on his feet, Rowen saw a decorative display of weapons as they chased the boy into the armory. He grabbed a bow and some arrows, readied it, and with swift aim, fired a warning shot. The arrow whistled through the air and passed the boy's head, startling him to let out a yelp of fright. It stopped the boy in his tracks, and he yelped again when another arrow ripped the document from his hand. The arrow crashed into the wall far ahead and the boy looked back at Rowen who had another arrow ready. He shouted 'I'm sorry' and ran out of sight, leaving the document where it lay.

"Kento, go get it." Rowen tossed the bow to the floor as his friend received the paper. Rowen took it from him, pulled out the arrow, untied it, and rolled it open. It was the correct document but… "Uh oh."

"What 'uh oh'?" Kento looked around Rowen at the paper and saw a bunch of holes all in a line from where the arrow pierced it. The last two sentences sported the holes, even the spot where Sage's father's signature was. Kento glanced up at Rowen. " 'Uh oh' is right."

"Shut it." Rowen said with a hiss. "Damn! This is going to complicate things!"

Kento took it from him. "It's not that bad." He held it up to look through the holes at Rowen's frowning face.

"Give me that!" He snatched it from him. "I may be able to get this to work to our advantage."

"How? You butchered it."

Rowen rolled up the document. "This is solid proof that 'someone' was trying to steal this document and we saved it. That means there are plots out there to destroy Sage, just as he thought." He tucked the paper into his belt. "Let's get to his father's chamber and see if Ryo or Cye have noticed anything."

When they arrived at the master's chambers there was a small grouping of people, nobles and servants, all waiting silently for news on their lord. They spotted Ryo and Cye by the windows and went over to them.

"Any word?" Rowen asked.

"None yet." Replied Cye. "All we see is the trusted servants coming in and out with various items. What did you find out?"

"Well, Rowen was right in thinking someone would steal that document because we caught a young boy trying to do it! But then he showed off his bow and arrow skills to snag the document and…well…" Kento motioned to the document on Rowen's belt.

"Yeah, yeah, you like to see me mess up, don't you?" Rowen took out the document and held it out to the others, letting it unravel in the air.

"Are there supposed to be holes in it?" Ryo asked.

Rowen sneered. "No, there's not supposed to be holes in it!" When he saw Ryo's look of embarrassment he quickly apologized. "Hopefully this will still work for us. You can still make out his father's signature…it's just some of the words are missing. The most important stuff is stated, though. That should be all we need."

"Hey guys, heads up." Cye whispered and jerked his head towards the arrival of Sage's uncle and a few personal servants and guards. "There's trouble ahead."

Sage's uncle, covered completely in black robes for the mourning of his brother, stopped in his walk when he spotted his nephew's four 'councilmen'. The only one to give him a hard stare was the blue haired one.

'Ah, my nephew's slut and servant group of advisors. How deliciously humorous this is.' He spoke in the old tongue so they could not understand him. However, he had forgotten that the blue haired one could speak the language.

'Do not speak of what you do not know, old man!'

'You speak the old tongue!'

'Yes. Seiji, your nephew, has chosen us four as his friends and councilmen. Upon my person is the document stating so. We will all be working along side one another, good sir. Best get used to seeing us.

'Seiji will rule this house very shortly. It is my duty to help guide him until he comes of age. Sixteen springs is hardly a reasonable age to chose your own council. His choice of you four is simply out of rebellion and lust.'

'Regardless of what you say, we have the document stating differently. Words cannot hurt us.'

'Then only time will tell. What is your name, boy?'

'Toma.'

'Well then, 'Advisor Toma', I guess I will be seeing you soon. Many sweet dreams in my nephew's bed.'

Rowen's lip went up in a sneer as the man's entourage entered the chambers of their lord. The last guard to enter turned to the others waiting and dismissed them from standing in wait. Everyone was forced to leave the area.

"What did he say?" Ryo asked.

"Not much, but we have to watch our backs with him around. It's not just Sage we have to worry about now."

"What can we do?" Cye asked.

"Let's make sure to stay in small groups." Ryo suggested. "We really shouldn't be alone if we can help it." He took a glance at a window and noticed the sun was setting. "Uh oh, I need to get back to the barracks and make my rounds. Kento, come with me for this."

"Sure Ryo." Kento turned to Rowen and Cye. "Will you two be okay?"

"Yes," Cye assured them "We'll go and get Sage's chamber ready for him. You two take care."

Heading to Sage's chamber, Rowen took careful notice of how the servants and guards were acting. Most of them appeared shocked, saddened, or frightened as the news of their lord's demise was spreading fast. That was a good thing, for it meant that there were less people involved with Sage's uncle. Most of the men must be other nobles who are on the uncle's side; all men in the head council that Rowen would have to speak to. It would be hard to keep a straight face and maintain an even tone when speaking to those vultures.

"Rowen, we're here." Cye got his attention. "You're in deep thought. I can tell because your brows are crinkled." He chuckled.

"Sorry. Let's check the room first to make sure no one is here. These next few days are going to prove difficult for all of us." He checked under the bed. "Sage's enemies are now our enemies…and we are their enemies."

Cye checked the wardrobes. "Sometimes I think back to my simple little life in that fishing village. How quickly things have changed. These are all clear."

"The room is empty." Rowen passed the curtains and entered onto the balcony, checking up, down and all around. He came back into the room. "I don't think open balconies like this are safe right now."

Cye raised an auburn brow. "We can't do anything about the structure of the house. That's what the guards are for."

Rowen looked at the sheer curtains. "In a time of peace this is a nice idea. I think it would be safer if all of us stayed here together tonight. Take shifts watching. And if Sage is as smart as I think he is…he'll move his room to his father's chambers instead."

"His father has no balcony."

"Exactly. His father is the important figure in this house."

"Help me make the bed. Sage likes fresh silk sheets every night."

Rowen rolled his eyes but helped Cye strip the bed and replace them with white silk sheets. He stared at Cye as the slight man took out a small glass bottle from one of the wardrobe drawers. He then started splashing small amounts of the liquid content onto the sheets and pillows. Rowen smelt the faint scent of lavender and vanilla. "He isn't too pampered, is he? Sage wouldn't last a DAY in my clan village."

Cye corked the bottle and smiled at Rowen. "I don't think you give Sage enough credit. He may have courtesy and grace, but he also knows how to get his hands dirty. If you're able to have nice things, why not enjoy them and indulge a little? Life is short."

"You going to put a rose on his pillow, too?"

"Perhaps. Come with me to the garden well. Sage needs fresh water in his basin." He picked up the basin water pitcher.

"Scented water?" Rowen asked with a slightly snobby tone as he followed Cye out of the room.

"Don't be unkind. This is a hard time for Sage right now. We need to be supportive and positive. No jokes."

"It's a defense mechanism on my part. Pay it no mind."

Out in the gardens, where Rowen had yet to be, the sun was setting and turning the sky a light orange. The garden was large and well kept, with hundreds of varieties of flowers. There were hedges and archways full of wisteria, ivy, and other hanging flowers. The garden would take some time to explore but it would have to wait for another day. The well was closer to the house for easier access. Cye handed him the pitcher while he sent the bucket down the dark well. Rowen peered down and watched the bucket slowly disappear from sight. But soon the sounds of voices traveled through the air and both men turned to the direction of the sound. Through the stone arched gate, they could see some of the workers, servants, and even city peasants hurrying by.

"Where they going?" Rowen asked.

"If my guess is correct, then they are heading to the window of the current lord." Cye lowered his eyes. "It's tradition that when a great lord of nobility is ill or close to dying, or a noble woman is giving birth, the people gather around under the window to await a sign. For if it is death, the candle at the window gets blown out. If it is new life, then two candles are lit."

Rowen frowned. "Should be go too?"

"I rather we go back to Sage's room and await him there. That's where he will retreat to."

"Wouldn't he mourn with his mother?"

Cye pulled up the bucket. "Sage is funny that way. I couldn't tell you if he would come to his room right away or stay with his mother. I've seen very little of her. She's barely ever here. She came back after her husband fell ill. Normally she lives in her family's house where Sage's sisters and grandparents are."

Rowen looked surprised. "He has sisters?"

"Yes. An elder one and a younger one. He is the only boy. Chances are she'll go back to them after all this is over. I believe she is closer with her daughters than she is with Sage." Rowen held the pitcher still as Cye poured the water in. "I think the father's relationship with the son is more important that the relationship with his mother."

"I bet that's why he leans more towards the bed company of men and not women."

Cye left the bucket on the edge. "Probably. Whatever the reason, we'll support him and say nothing about it. Let's head back. Ryo should be coming in soon too. The barracks will be shut down to mourn the death of a lord."

"Right. Although he's probably not going to care about this water or the silk sheets. Not after the day he is having."

"Still I rather keep things the same and normal for him. I never know just what he is thinking or what he wants, so best to have everything ready anyway so he can pick and choose."

/

Sage exited his father's chambers to the sounds of his mother and a few servants wailing while the candle was put out. The hall was empty save for a guard or two. Sage paid them no mind and in a dazed, numb state, he walked to his chambers. This day had finally come; and it was miracle that his father had actually survived this long. The apothecary said that the illness was a strange one that he couldn't find a cure for. All the man could do was prolong death and he had. Still, something didn't feel right in the pit of his stomach. His father had fallen ill mysteriously one day while riding his horse with a few men. Sage was shocked at how quickly a strong, healthy man could grow so sick so suddenly. His father was a good man who was respected by many, if not all, of the nobility. People would only want to see him dead for the right of his title, house, and land. Sage had suggested that he had been poisoned when the illness first started but the apothecary had ruled it out. Sage still wasn't completely convinced.

When he reached his chamber doors he heard voices coming from behind it. Outside the door lay White Blaze, who must be on guard duty. The tiger acknowledged Sage and purred deeply. Sage glanced at the large animal and then leaned towards the door. Listening closely, he recognized the voices belonging to Ryo and Cye. Sage rests his head against the door, closed his eyes, and prayed for the strength to be nice to them. He knew they were in his room to 'comfort' him but he didn't need sympathy; he needed to be alone. Taking a deep breath and counting to ten, Sage opened the door to the sight of not two men but four. Ryo, Cye, Kento, and Rowen all looked up from their activities when he had entered the room. No one spoke a word to him, nor did Sage choose to say anything back. He calmly acknowledged all of them with a straight face and closed the door behind him.

"I know why you're all here and while it is appreciated, it's unnecessary. I would rather be by myself, if you don't mind?"

"Actually, we do mind." Rowen said, standing up from the floor where he was reading a book. "Sage, Kento and I caught someone trying to steal the document stating that we are your chosen council members. I was able to get it back before it was taken and destroyed. We all think your life may be in danger, so we thought it would be best if we all stayed together."

"I'd rather not have company."

"Sage," Cye started "you don't have to speak to us or anything if you don't want to, but I think we should stay here."

"Yeah, it's been a tough day for you." Kento added in. "You're the new lord and all, so you've got a ton of stuff to do now. Take a load off for a bit."

"We'll help you out." Ryo, patting the hilts of his swords. "And I think you know as well as we do that it's not safe for you. How many times have you told us that?"

Sage narrowed his gaze, moving from one man to the other and meeting their stares. Deciding to keep their company, Sage's gaze focused on Rowen. "Come with me to the rooftop."

"Why me?" Rowen asked, but Sage's firm stare was all the answers he needed. "Sure."

"Will you two be alright?" Cye asked.

Rowen answered for them. "Yeah, we'll be fine. Order yourself some food and hang out here. We'll be back."

/

Out on the rooftop the stars were twinkling bright above them. Sage stared up into the dark sky, his arms crossed with feet planted firmly on the floor. The blonde was silent the whole way up and Rowen found himself doing the same as Sage. He was unsure of what to say, how to say it, or if he should say anything. Sage had called him up here so the man must want to talk about something. Rowen figured it was best to wait until Sage spoke first. The silence was long and awkward, making Rowen shift uncomfortably back and forth. He had to stare out at the city for a bit because his neck was cramping from looking up. Finally, Sage spoke, and it startled him.

"What do you believe is up there, Rowen?"

"Huh?"

"You heard me."

It wasn't the question Rowen thought his friend would say, but he had to answer. "What do I believe?" He looked back up at the stars. "Are we speaking of the afterlife or science and astrology in general?"

"Just give me whatever you have."

Rowen had a feeling this was going to be a long conversation so he chose to lay along the roof's ledge. "No one knows for sure until they're up there. Could be something else greater than us up there. Maybe all the stars in the sky are the spirits of those who have passed on."

"Nonsense. There aren't enough stars."

"Back in my sky there are." Rowen smiled. "The sky is littered with millions of them. Some shine brighter than others yet they are all together."

Sage looked at him. "Suppose your theory is correct; what would a shooting star be? A new spirit? One that maybe falls back to earth?"

Rowen sat up and looked at him, resting his arms on his knees. "What do you want me to say, Sage? Are we talking about your father here? Do you think he's up there?" he pointed up.

"I don't know what I think. I don't think anything, actually. That's what frightens me. Should I?"

"What? Think that there's something beyond this life?" Rowen laid back down. "Maybe. Maybe not. It's comforting to think that's there's another world out there where we'll meet everyone again. But we'll never really know until our time comes. We just need to keep living." Sage fell silent again and Rowen turned his head to look at him. The blonde seemed to be in deep thought, probably analyzing what he just said to explain his emotions. Which, he would add, were completely unreadable. Rowen couldn't tell if he was sad or angry. It irked him.

"I'm through thinking about this. Everything is going to change now. He no longer has to suffer nor carry the burden of this family."

"When will you be allowed to rule legally?"

"At seventeen. In another four months. I need to remain alive until then or better yet…just leave this place for awhile."

Rowen looked over at him. "Leave? Where would you go?"

"It's not going to live somewhere else per say. More or less like our plan to invade the Dynasty."

Blue brows shot up. "Whoa. Sage, we don't even know what the outcome of the vote will be!"

"The Dynasty will be fought one way or another! I rather not stay here for very long. I have no problem letting my uncle run the family home until I am of legal age. He's always been beside my father so he knows how to run it. He's just…" he couldn't finish the sentence. "What I'm saying is that I want to leave. After my father's pyre funeral and my mother's departure, I want to set out for the Dynasty. All five of us."

Rowen sat up again with a crooked smile. "Sage, you're speaking out of rage and sorrow for the loss of your father. It's perfectly natural. I think you should take a break for a little bit and let the reality of the situation sink in before making such rash decisions. I mean, me and the guys will join you in taking on the Dynasty; no issue there. But we don't want to rush in head on unprepared. That's how I ended up here; because Kento charged into battle without thinking. I'll be damned if I become a slave for the Dynasty!"

Sage gave a sigh. "You're right. I don't know what I'm feeling. I'm just a mix of so many emotions that…" he dropped his head back "I need to mediate."

"Go ahead. I'll stand by and keep an eye on you until you're ready to go back in."

"That may be a while." Sage said as he sat down.

"I'm not doing anything. Take all the time you need." He lay back on the ledge. "I'll watch the stars."

/

"What do you think they're doing up there?" Ryo asked the others from the balcony, craning his neck to try and see the roof.

Cye was seated on the bed, trying on some of Sage's circlets. "Enjoying one another's company?" He held out a gold hand mirror.

"That's all they better be doing." Kento muttered from the table, picking his teeth with a toothpick after cleaning his plate of dinner.

Cye narrowed his eyes at Ryo's form through the sheer curtains, shaking his head as the man was nearly dangling over the edge trying to see up. "Ryo, for crying out loud, get back in here! Don't be so nosy!"

Ryo hurried back in as commanded. "I was just curious, that's all. They could be hurt!"

"I'm sure they're fine." Cye assured him.

The black haired man snuffed. "Put those things away or I'll tell Sage you're wearing them." Cye stuck his tongue out at Ryo.

"Let's go find them." Kento suggested.

"You just want to catch them together." Cye wagged his finger at him. "It's Rowen's decision in the end, Kento." Kento didn't answer back but pretended to be fascinated by his toothpick. "What you two have is a courtship and a strong bond of friendship. You have no right to be jealous. Isn't that right, Ryo?"

Ryo looked frightened. "Don't drag me into this! I don't know!"

Cye waved Ryo off with his hand. "Hearts can change, Kento. Even yours."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." He tossed the toothpick onto the plate. "It just sucks." He leaned back on the legs of the chair and propped his feet up on the table. "It's because he's blonde, isn't it?"

Cye laughed. "I doubt Rowen goes for physical traits like that. He's solely a personality seeking guy."

"Then he and Sage will get along well." Ryo said, and then quickly apologize to Kento.

"Don't mention it."

"It's getting late. Maybe we should go get them." Cye offered.

"We'll give them a few more minutes." Kento suggested.

/

Letting out his last exhale of breath, Sage opened his eyes feeling both his mind and body completely relaxed. The death of his father was still on his mind but it was manageable now. He stood up from the roof and cracked his back but then took notice of Rowen's sleeping form on the ledge. Sage walked over to him, looking down at the angelic sleeping face and marble skin; much like his own. The moon shone down upon the sleeping figure, giving the illusion that he was glowing. Sage was transfixed by the image of this sleeping archer before him and for a moment it helped to ease his mind away from his troubles. Rowen was a beautiful young man, anyone could see that. Sage had originally been attracted to him for just his looks, now it was more than that. Maybe it was the death of his father or the swarm of enemies he now had, but Sage's affection for Rowen suddenly heightened. He wanted this man for his very own and not just for his council. Something had attracted him to Rowen from that very first day and now that he had a chance to gaze longingly upon this man he knew he wanted to possess him. But Rowen wouldn't be one to give in so easily. Yet if he were to take Rowen as a lover now with his new position it would only add to the current issues they faced. Rowen was a man and unable to bear children, so Sage would need a woman if he were to keep his house and lands. Having Rowen by his side would never be allowed. But that was a long way ahead still, and he would see where this will lead first before making a solid decision.

Deciding to be bold, Sage leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Rowen's thin lips. The lips were warm and smooth against his own. As he pulled away the pair of blue eyes were opened and gazing at him in stunned silence. Sage said not a word as his own gaze bore into Rowen's. Then, the archer flushed brightly and shot up from the ledge. Sage had to reach out and steady him before Rowen toppled over the side.

"W-What was that about?" Rowen almost screeched at him.

"I'm sorry…I just couldn't help myself. You looked so…stunning in the light of the stars and moon that I…I just wanted to kiss you."

Both men looked away in opposite directions, one more flushed than the other.

"S-Surely you've kissed another man before? You have Kento."

"Yeah I have. I just…wasn't expecting that from you!" Rowen's face felt like it was on fire and it was so unlike him, but a part of him wanted to do a cartwheel of joy. Sage had kissed him! But he couldn't just give himself the blonde so quickly! Sage would have to work for it. They also haven't known each other that long to make such a commitment. "And what the heck are you blushing for? You've been with Cye!"

"That is irrelevant." Sage answered quickly.

They were both silent again, but Rowen was the first to speak. "So…do you…want to do that again? When I'm awake?" It was Rowen's turn to be bold. He turned to look at the blonde who still wore a faint blush but his expression was flat.

"Then this is alright with you?"

Rowen nodded. "Yeah." He smirked. "Let's try it again. Your lips were so cold…and I think you can use the distraction."

"So you like this?" Sage gave a small smile and held out his hand to Rowen, pulling the other to his feet. He as an inch taller than Rowen but that made the blue haired man a perfect size for him.

"I don't know. We'll just have to wait and see!" Rowen couldn't help himself and he leaned up to lock their lips together. This kiss held a little more passion than the last, but it intensified when Sage embraced him. Rowen embraced back, letting the palms of his hands rest against the blonde's blades. It was Sage who pulled away first but he still held Rowen close to him.

"I think you've been waiting for that." Sage stated, which yearned a snort from Rowen.

"Don't flatter yourself! You've simply peeked my interest. We have many things in common and I can relate to you on a much higher level than the other guys."

"So that's why you REALLY came to my house. You wanted to be with me."

Rowen rolled his eyes and smiled. "Think whatever you want." He moved his hands so they could thread through Sage's silky blonde hair. "You know…you look handsome in the light of the night as well. I should call you 'moon boy'."

Sage chuckled. "No, that would you be you." He lowered his eyes when Rowen pecked him on the cheek. "Careful. If you do little things like that in public people will say we're in love."

"Let them say what they want. Time has a way of making and breaking things." He smirked and took Sage by the hand, pulling him back to the roof door. "And I'm up for the adventure!"

This was more of a reaction than Sage thought he was going to get from Rowen. He could rule out that the archer had actually been attracted to him but was hiding it all this time do to egotistical pride…much like his own. And Rowen was right; this was a much needed distraction that will help to get him through the next difficult days. So he followed the wild archer back inside and they hurried to his chambers. A guard was posted outside the door and acknowledged Sage with a bow, standing aside to let them enter. The chamber was completely dark with only the moonlight shining through the sheer balcony curtains. Cye was sound asleep on the bed, burrowed and nestled deep under the covers. Kento was snoring against White Blaze, his hands folded over his belly as it rose and fell with snores. Where was Ryo?

"Oh, hey you two." Ryo peeked through the curtains and smiled at them. "The other guys were tired and needed to crash." He whispered. "I have the first watch, so you guys can sleep."

"Thanks Ryo." Rowen said, and then glanced at Kento. Looking at his friend and 'intended', Rowen feared what he would tell Kento tomorrow morning when he saw them together. His friend would be heartbroken, but their friendship would not end. Hurting Kento was like kicking a very loyal dog that would look up at you with pure love, sadness, and hurt as it kept its distance from you. He was not looking forward to telling him. And then there was Cye, Sage's first friend and 'comfort' bed mate. Cye was with Ryo, but from what he could tell the two men weren't 'in love'. It was almost as if the three of them; Ryo, Sage, and Cye would freely sleep with each other without having any romantic ties. Cye may even be as hurt as Kento when they all find out. And then, a curious thought just occurred to him. A curious, devious little thought that broke a crooked smirk to his lips. He looked from Kento to Cye three or four times before grinning madly. His grin attracted the attention of Sage.

"What's that look for?"

"I'll tell you in the morning." Rowen pulled him to the bed. "Now I guess you'll sleep in the middle?"

"I always sleep in the middle. I'm the lord here." Sage boasted flatly, removed his boots and shirts, and slipped under the covers. Cye must have sensed his arrival for the lithe man rolled over with a content sigh and cuddled into him.

Rowen slid in beside him. "If it were anyone else other than Cye or the guys, we'd have a major problem right now."

"So you're possessive?"

"I might be."

"Well, I'm possessive as well. If not more so than you."

Rowen couldn't resist the urge to give Sage a quick kiss on the lips. "We'll see about that. But for now, let's get some sleep. You have a big day tomorrow…and it's not going to be easy for you. But we're all here for you."

Sage closed his eyes and sighed. "I'll worry about it in the morning. But you are right, we should get to sleep." He pulled both Rowen and Cye closer to him. "Good night, Rowen."

"Goodnight."

Ryo had heard their little whispered conversation and he smiled, looking up at the moon shining down on him.

Kento had woken up from all the movement on the bed behind him. He too had heard their conversation.

End Chapter 6 TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Warnings: Language

Chapter 7

"Rise and shine, everyone!" Came Cye's cheery voice as the top covers were pulled from the bed. He had been the last one on watch duty and now the sun was just beginning to rise. Sage and Rowen both shivered in their sleep, each unconsciously reaching for the missing covers. White Blaze stood up with a bellowing yawn, ignoring the fact that he still had Kento asleep against him. The larger man fell back onto the floor and bumped his head on the footboard. It jerked him awake with a hiss of pain and a little curse. Ryo, who was asleep in one of the chairs, woke up with little trouble or complaint. White Blaze came over to nuzzle his side and he pet the large cat's head. "Time to greet the day."

"The fish aren't even up at this time, Cye!" Groaned Rowen before shoving his head under a pillow.

Sage sat up, cracked his neck and back, and covered his mouth in a polite yawn. "Morning came fast."

"When are we having breakfast?" Kento asked.

"Once everyone is awake and properly dressed." Cye placed his hands on his hips as he gazed at Rowen's still sleeping form. "We can all see you, Rowen. It's time to get up now."

"Go on without me." Came the muffled reply. Sage walked his fingers up Rowen's spine, making the pale body shiver with a chill. "Okay fine! I'm up!" He sat up in the bed with the pillow clutched to his chest. He could see the orange sky through the sheer balcony curtains. "The only sky I recognize is blue, black, and purple. There is no orange and red in my world."

"I love the sunrise." Ryo chimed in.

"Well, then you can go greet the day I will greet the night." Rowen gave him a raspberry.

"Don't be cranky, Rowen." Sage said and stood up from the bed. "We're not children."

Kento snickered at that and Rowen threw him a glare, which shut him up.

"And we're having breakfast here in the room." Sage told them, and then turned to Cye. "See to it." As Cye left to place the order, Rowen finally rolled out of bed.

"I need to go to my room and get a new set of clothes." He stated. "I'll be right back."

"I'll go with you." Said Kento.

Rowen was ready to say 'no', but when he saw the look of determination on Kento's face, he gave a nod. That look meant that Kento wanted to talk about something, and Rowen had a keen idea on what he wanted to talk about. It was better to get it all out now rather than later. "Come on, then. We'll be back." As they left the room and proceeded down the halls, Rowen turned to Kento, his hands folded behind his back. "So…what do you want to talk about? I know that look."

"It's about what you and Sage said last night…as you were going to bed." Kento's tone was low and even.

"Right. Well, I won't lie to you, Kento. Sage and I are a couple now…I was going to tell you sometime today, but you obviously already knew."

"Hm." He looked down as they walked.

"Hey, it doesn't change the fact that we're still best buds, okay? You've known for quite some time now that we weren't really going to be together, especially now that we are not in the village anymore. Things are different here."

"Yeah, I know. You fit in here…and you go well with Sage."

They came to his room and went inside. "I really hope you're not too hurt by this, Kento? Nothing has to change between us. It can be the same as it always has."

"Yeah I know." He mumbled. "What's not to like about 'Young Lord Sage'? With his…bright yellow hair and…purple eyes." Kento was suddenly focused on a pile of books.

"Oh, come off it! Don't tell me you're threatened by THAT!" Rowen took of his shirt and slipped on a new one, this one also blue. "That's not why I like him. Well, it's part of it, but it's a VERY small percentage of-"

"Thanks Ro, I get it." Kento put his hand up.

"Sorry." He changed his pants and sat on the bed to put on his sandals. "You are happy for me, Kento, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. I mean…you two go really well together. He's more like you."

Rowen smirked. "Like me? What is 'like me'?"

"Some things are better left unsaid." He grinned.

"Jackass." Rowen stood up and held out his hand to Kento. "Still best buds?"

Kento gripped his wrist and squeezed hard. "Yeah, still best buds!" He let go and Rowen pulled his wrist away to rub it.

"I guess I deserved that." Rowen mumbled.

/

"You and Rowen are a couple now? That's wonderful!" Cye beamed at their reflection in the mirror as he placed a circlet of emeralds on Sage's head.

"Yes. We're still at the basics but I am delighted to have chosen him. Necklace please." Cye slipped the spider-web style gold necklace with emeralds over his head. Sage straightened the gold chains as they lay against his bare chest. He could already tell that the day was going to be scorching and he would not be sweating while making his rounds at the funeral. The fire from the funeral pyre will only add to the temperature of the day. He thought he would be over this by now but a nervous feeling of anxiety started in his stomach. Sage wasn't sure if it was because of his father's death or of everything he was inheriting. But the thought of Rowen being beside him the whole time helped to ease that anxiety, and Cye caught him smiling softly in the mirror.

"Thinking about Rowen?"

"No." He stated quickly and flatly, returning to his normal stoic features. "Cye, are you bothered by this? With Rowen and I being together?"

"Not at all. Why?" He gathered up Sage's purple sheer shawl to wrap around the strong shoulders.

"Well, now that I am with Rowen our nights together won't be…how can I put it? They won't be so often shared?"

Cye smiled at them both in the mirror. "I'm fine with it, love. I don't mind sharing with Ryo even though we aren't really lovers. Not like you and Rowen want to be. I do like to look at him as one, though."

Ryo peeked his head through the curtains of the balcony. "My ear's ringing. You guys talking about me?"

"No." They both stated.

"Oh. Okay." Ryo disappeared back onto the balcony.

"So then you and Ryo have the same type of relationship that we shared?" Cye nodded. "I see. Hm." There was a knock on the door announcing that their food was here. Cye went to answer it, allowing the servants to enter and place the five separate trays on the center table. Just as the servants were leaving, Rowen and Kento came in, closing the door behind them.

"Alright! The food's here!" Kento hurried to the table, looking at all five trays, wondering which was his. Everyone had the same, except for Sage's tray, which was the only one with gold utensils and a small bud vase containing a rose. Kento took one of the four trays for himself and began eating.

"Wait for the rest of us!" Cye laughed as he joined Kento at the table, followed by Ryo and White Blaze.

"After this I'll take you to the kitchens to get your meal, buddy." Ryo said to the white tiger.

Rowen was staring at Sage as the young man stood from his vanity seat. The first thing he noticed was the well-sculpted back, followed by the bare chest and sparkling emeralds. He tried to make it look like he wasn't staring, but Sage noticed it immediately. Sage gave him a wink and Rowen felt his knees buckle under him. Why was he dressed so…simply? Not that Rowen was complaining, but it would make breakfast a little difficult. He glanced over at Kento to see if his friend had noticed the staring, or the wink, but at the moment food was more important. Sage, Cye, and himself were given chairs while the other two stood to eat their meal. Rowen ate his fruit salad first, enjoying the sweet cool juices as they cascaded down his throat. They seemed a little extra sweet for fruits but he ignored it, moving on to his oatmeal. It was then that he noticed Sage staring intently at his food. Rowen wasn't the only one who noticed.

"Sage? What's the matter?" Ryo asked.

"Hm? Oh…nothing. I'm just not…well, I guess I'm not as hungry as I thought I was." He pushed the tray away. "I apologize. Continue your meal."

Rowen looked at him skeptically. It was Kento who surprised them by dunking his spoon into Sage's oatmeal and eating it. He took some of the fruit, and even sipped the milk. They all stared at him, curious and confused by the strange actions. Kento was silent for a moment, and then he said, "It's all safe to eat."

"How did you know?" Sage asked.

"I recognized the look on your face. You thought it might be poisoned, so I tested it for you." He turned to Rowen. "Remember that time during the yearly games some while ago? I was having it out with that one guy as we were competing?"

Rowen shifted his eyes, trying to remember, but it must have been unimportant at the time so his mind blocked it out. "Sort of." He lied.

"Well, I thought he was out to get me because I was so much better than he was. I thought he was going to poison my food or drinking water, so I was very cautious about what I ate and watched as it was made, just to make sure." He turned back to Sage. "So I know that look of worry."

"That was a stupid thing to do!" Cye was outraged by his carelessness. "You could have died if it was! We have proper testers here!"

Kento put another spoonful of his fruit salad in his mouth and chewed. "I wasn't worried." He spat out some pieces as he spoke.

Sage stood up from the chair. "While I appreciate your help I fear that I'm still not hungry. I might be later."

"At least drink something." Ryo offered his own goblet of fresh milk to him.

"No, no, it's yours. I'll be on the balcony."

They all watched as Sage disappeared through the curtains, and it was Rowen who had to follow him out. He had brought his goblet of fresh milk with him and leaned on the stone railing. "So, what are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about how much I DON'T want to be here."

Rowen's blue brows went up but he didn't turn to look at Sage. "Okay. But, you are the new lord."

"Not yet I'm not. I still have another year to go…IF I survive until my seventeenth birthday."

"Is that what has you worried?"

Sage stared out at the city. "More so than the Dynasty moving in on our city. It's not the workload or responsibilities I'm afraid of…it's the nest of vipers I live with." He gripped his fists on the stone railing top. "I swear…once I am of age I'll throw them all in jail to rot!"

Rowen chuckled. "They would kill themselves before you could carry out the order. But it's not a bad idea. It's actually quite tempting." He smirked. "You know, you don't have to stay here. Your uncle is 'technically' in charge. He is the lord regent. Maybe we could do what he had originally planned to do."

Sage glanced at him. "Which is?"

"Destroy the Dynasty and save the city. Therefore," he sat his goblet down and wrapped his arms around Sage's waist, forcing the other to look at him. "You will be considered a hero. Not just a war hero, but a hero of the common people as well. And then you will have ALL the power to deal with those old cooks, as you like." The corner of his lip curved into smirk.

Sage brushed the strand of thick blue hair from the center of Rowen's face. "You're a cunning, manipulative, sneaky little weasel, aren't you? I'm just glad I'm not YOUR enemy."

Rowen stuck out his tongue and winked. "You'd do well to always remember that."

Sage rolled his eyes and pulled out fro Rowen's arms to look down into the courtyard where people were already beginning to gather. "My father's funeral is today."

"Oh, right. That." Rowen reached his hand over and placed it on top of Sage's. "We're here for you."

"I know…but I'm afraid you and the others can't be with me during the lighting of the pyre. I must sit with my family. My mother will need my support."

"No problem. We understand."

"She'll leave tomorrow to go and live with my sisters, which is better for her; for all of them. I fear they won't be safe here either. I must fear for their safety as well. It's a shame."

Rowen nodded. "It is. But you're lucky to have had a big family, Sage. My parents never really cared for me. I was more loved at Kento's house with his family than I was at my own."

"Oh, I never said I had a warm and loving family. We're very traditional. Duty, honor, grace, and humility are our biggest attributes. Tender love and care doesn't quite fit in there." He smiled. "Which is why I call Cye to my bed sometimes. I like the tenderness and comfort of a gentle embrace, but it's not something that I want all the time."

Rowen grinned. "Hey, you and me both! Kento loves to cuddle and hug and smother…but I'm not really for all that stuff. What about Ryo? What's his deal with all this?"

"He's very righteous with virtues surrounding him like a protective magic shield. I'm surprised he ever did anything with Cye in the first place. He's very modest and shy when it comes to those matters. When his warrior title gets passed around the taverns, the serving girls tend to think it means something else."

"What's his warrior title that gets the ladies all excited?"

"The other warriors have dubbed him 'Ryo of the Wildfire', because of his swift techniques and advance sword skills. A trainer in our fighter arena once said that he 'cut through them like wildfire', and after that, it just became his title. The girls like to think its part of something else, which is why he tends to avoid the taverns and alehouses in the city."

Rowen chuckled. "Now I have to take him out sometime! I've always wanted to visit a tavern; and I'll have Ryo escort me! It's a perfect plan!"

"You'll have him blushing bright enough to match his title." Sage cracked a little smile, but he still wasn't feeling any real joy. "I should be heading down to the courtroom now. My mother is probably waiting for me."

"We'll go with you. Your council should always be present."

"I would like that."

Rowen finished his milk, and smacked his lips. "Do you guys sweeten the milk a lot?"

"No, just yours." Sage stated plainly. "Kento mentioned something to Ryo, who mentioned to Cye, that you need some sugar in your food or milk to keep you energized." He turned to look at Rowen's annoyed face, where a very prominent scowl was present. "Kento said you tire easily, which I have seen for myself, and I won't have him carrying you around or catering to your laziness. If you truly have a medical condition then we will see to it properly."

"I don't need any of that crap! KENTO! I'm gonna rip you a new one!" He stormed through the curtains and could be heard scolding Kento.

Sage shook his head, and looked down into the courtyard where another group of people were arriving. This group was a horde of nobles, most of them monks by the style of the robes. It was now or never. He was only delaying the inevitable. For a moment, he closed his eyes, relaxed his thoughts, and took a few deep, soothing breaths. Heading back inside, he took a sip from his goblet and waited for the others to be finished with their meals. When they were done, Sage led them all from the room and down to the main court hall where groups of people were gathering. As they made their way through the crowds, the nobles were bowing low before Sage as he passed. His council was already getting the whispers and murmurs started about the court. This was to be the first rag-tag council group in the Empire's history. Sage hoped his friends were acting the part and not being too ill mannered.

As they approached the dais, Sage saw that his uncle was already sitting in his father's chair, with his mother in her own. The old man was surrounded by his councilmen and toadies. All eyes were on him, but he would not waver under their gaze. Sage turned to his own group. "Ryo, you may accompany me to the dais. The rest of you, please stand to the side on the left. Don't let anyone push past you or keep you from that spot. And let Rowen do the talking if anyone asks." He leaned in to Rowen. "If you can, speak in the old tongue. Ask them first if they know how to speak it. Some do, but most don't. I rather not let too many people overhear what is said."

"No problem." Rowen whispered and urged the other two to come with him while Ryo accompanied Sage.

When Sage ascended the dais, his uncle, dressed all in black, gave him a woeful smile. "How are you this morning, nephew? You look well?"

"I have come to terms with this situation a long time ago. May I sit?"

"Of course."

His uncle clapped his hands and a servant brought over a regular chair for him. Sage's mother stood up to offer her chair, but Sage calmly sat in the one given to him. Ryo came and stood directly beside him, both hands on the hilt of his swords. He said nothing more to his uncle as the first part of the funeral services began. Nobles, both men and women, were standing before the dais and voicing their prayers, apologies, and regrets. Sage barely listened to them, for many of the nobles hardly knew his father. They didn't know him as well as Sage did, nor did they know how he felt even if they voiced it. No one knew how he felt because everyone feels differently. Right now he was very calm because the worse was over; he had known this day would come. But his father was no longer suffering, and in a way, that brought him a strange sense of peace. His father was now free of not only his disease, but all the troubles and responsibilities as well. Sage even had to wonder if his father openly welcomed death just for that reason.

He beckoned Ryo down with his finger and whispered, "I haven't checked on the others. How are they doing?"

"They're doing fine. No one is really talking to them. If anything, I think they're snuffing them."

Sage gave a slight nod. "Good. The less spoken the better. Keep your eyes peeled for any signs of danger."

"I'm on it."

/

"I'm gonna knock her on that fat plump bottom if she doesn't stop doing that!" Rowen whispered to Kento through his teeth.

"Who?" Kento glanced around.

"The old fat one in the red robes! She keeps staring at us, and every time I look at her, she quickly turns away with that big nose in the air. I've half a mind to go over there and ask her what her problem is!"

Cye shook his head. "You know what her problem is. Just ignore it. We're here to help Sage, not tongue-lash old grumpy women!"

Rowen crossed his arms and 'hmphed' as well. "I'll tongue-lash both her and her frumpy husband."

Kento's stomach growled and a few nobles nearby turned to stare at him. "I can't control it!" He whispered.

"Ignore them." Cye reminded him. "Keep your eyes open for anyone looking suspicious."

Rowen gave a light scoff. "That's the entire courtroom."

Another voice cut in to their conversation. "Excuse me?" It was a middle-aged nobleman. "You are Lord Sage's advisor, right?" He looked to Rowen, having pushed past Kento to get to him.

"I am." He changed to the old tongue. "Do you speak the old tongue?"

"I do. I know this may not be the best time, however, I doubt we'll be able to speak today after this moment."

"What is it you wish to speak of?" Rowen felt something heavy, a few heavy SOMETHINGS, dropped into his tunic pocket.

"The Dynasty draws near. Sage's father, rest his spirit, was against surrender and wanted to fight. We both know that would be silly, right?" Rowen only reached into his pocket and felt the thin gold coins that were given to him as a bribe. "You look like a very intelligent young man; why not set your sights on the easy life and talk Lord Sage in to surrendering? There is much more gold in store for you if you do."

He smirked and tilted his head to answer back. "Pardon my 'wild child' tongue, but don't try that shit with me." The man leaned back, surprised and frightened. "I don't take bribes, and I despise those who do, even more so the ones doing it. In many cases, 'money talks'; but not in my case. Leave my presence before I tell Lord Sage and some others what you were trying to do. And I'll be watching you very closely, so if you favor your hands, you'll cease this bribing for surrender."

"Or what?"

"Or else I'll have Ryo of the Wildfire cut them off." The man gasped. "It's an old policy and punishment, but it is still effective."

"I apologize! Speak nothing of this!"

"Get out of here."

Once the man disappeared back into the crowd, Cye leaned over Kento and asked, "What was that all about?"

Rowen let them have a peek at the gold coins. "He was trying to bribe me." He whispered.

"What for?" Kento asked.

"To talk Sage in to surrendering to the Dynasty with the others. What nerve he has coming up and asking me that during a funeral."

"No respect." Cye said with a disappointed shake of his head. "Sage was right…things ARE getting worse."

"And they'll continue to get worse unless we do something." Rowen pocketed the coins to show Sage later.

"But what should we do?" Kento asked.

Rowen put a finger to his lips. "We'll all talk later. I think they're moving on to the next stage of the funeral."

/

Rowen had altered Sage's plans for them to stay together during the funeral. He split from Kento and Cye to stand closer to Sage. He told the other two to spread out so they could cover more ground in the massive crowd. The man who tried the bribe now had him suspicious. Just whom else was he trying to bribe today? Rowen thought it'd be best if Cye and Kento spread out to look for more activity of the kind. It was better to keep track of whom the influential ones are in this matter. He couldn't wait to tell Sage about the bribe.

Rowen looked at Sage and couldn't really tell what the other was feeling. Sage's features were unreadable, as if he didn't have one shred of emotion within in his whole body. He stood perfectly still, without even a hair out of place. He looked like a statue; unseeing and unfeeling. The funeral master was preparing the pyre for the final stage, and yet it appeared as if Sage didn't care. Rowen wished he could be inside Sage's head right now, just to see and try to understand what the man was feeling. How many other mysteries did Sage hold secret? Rowen hoped he could continue to slowly chip away at the shell to release Sage's true self.

The pyre was lit with the flames reaching high above the crowd, puffs of black smoke shooting up to the open sky. Everyone stayed until the fires had slowly begun to fade, and the crowd dwindled in size. Most of the people leaving were city residents, commoners, who came to witness and pay respects. Now that the worst was over, the nobles would retreat in to the main dining hall to celebrate the passage of a fellow man in to the afterlife. The feast would also mark the true coronation of Sage's birthright. Inside the dining hall, there was one main table for Sage and his family to sit at, which consisted of his uncle and mother. For Rowen and the others, they were seated at the High Council table with numerous other 'close family' members. The old councilmen would barely speak to them, no matter how hard Cye tried to spark up a polite conversation. Ryo appeared uncomfortable being in a situation that did not entitle shadowing Sage in his usual protective duty. The swordsman ate very little. Kento had no issue eating and was keeping the conversation between the four of them lively. Rowen was barely listening to the other three, more focused on making mental images of each councilman's face. Sage wasn't kidding when he said this was a nest of vipers.

"So, you, young sir, with the blue hair?" Called one of the council members in Rowen's direction.

Rowen carelessly turned to look at him. "You may refer to me as 'High Councilman' or 'Master Rowen'."

The older man with dark hair simply smiled in a mocking manner, which only infuriated Rowen. "Perhaps I will when you EARN that title, like the rest of us have." He motioned to the other older men with his hand.

"Is that so? You see, I know that I am the most promising and prominent councilman here. Do you know why?" He crossed his arms. "It's because, unlike the rest of you balding old vultures, I have the intellectual skill and politic savvy mind that you all lack. With your 'birthright' comes an automatic title but you are not suited for the job. Only your title is important, and you lack the real qualities that are needed in a trusted councilman."

Cye nudged him with his foot from under the table. "Rowen, don't over do it." He whispered to his friend.

The dark haired man just chuckled. "We were all like you at your age, little man. Once you reach TRUE manhood then you will understand what it really means to be a High Councilman." The man threaded his fingers together. "We have noticed that you and Young Lord Sage are very close. And the rest can be said for your…other friends?" He motioned to Kento, Ryo, and Cye.

Ryo chose to speak up. "Lord Sage picked us because he has full trust and confidence in our council."

"Yeah!" Kento added. "And if anything, you guys should look at yourselves and wonder WHY Lord Sage chose to have a new group."

Rowen was impressed with their comebacks.

"There's no reason for everyone to bicker and argue." Cye spoke calmly. "The most important thing is for Lord Sage to have trustful friends and a wise council. We do as our Lord commands."

Rowen brushed off Cye's peaceful words, practically ignoring him. What these old councilmen needed was someone to point out their weaknesses and flaws. "Changes are going to be made around here, so you can either accept them or you can leave. Nothing is holding you here."

"Ah, but we are Lord Sage's uncle's councilmen until the boy comes of age. Therefore, you have no real power over us until we are sworn to Lord Sage." The other men laughed with him. "But keep that warrior's spirit. I hear it's important to have in that shithole you grew up in."

Kento shot up from his chair, its legs scraping along the stone floor and attracting attention. Rowen put his hand up to keep his friend from fighting back. "That 'shithole' I grew up in was rich in Empire history, science, astronomy, and mathematics. If any of you know how to speak in the old tongue, then you will recognize that I speak it fluently…coming from a 'shithole'. The only one of my tribe."

The first man sneered, unable to understand what he was saying. Yet another councilmen knew the old language and spoke back. "Yet you are still a wild child who speaks many tongues. Anyone can learn a language. You are not one of us."

"Well, Lord Sage seems to think differently, and his words are the only ones that count."

"He'll grow bored of you. Right now you are an interesting little curiosity from the woods."

"I beg to differ. And whatever it is you are 'referring' to, it's not true." Rowen turned to his wine and leisurely took a sip. "And I am much more of a curiosity than you could ever know."

"Then I guess we will be seeing much more of you in the days to come. So looking forward to learning all your 'curiosities'."

Rowen smirked over the rim of his cup. "Let's see if you can handle them."

The other councilmen just turned away from him and continued with their own conversations. Rowen gave a little sneer in their direction before turning to his own group. "Vipers." He whispered. "Each one."

"We didn't live a shithole." Kento muttered.

"They only said that to try and hurt us, but don't let it get to you. In the upcoming days, I'm sure a lot of things will be said about all of us, and none of them will be nice. Prepare for rumors and gossip."

Cye tucked back a strand of his auburn hair. "I'm sure I'll be partially gray by the end of the week…"

"Hey!" Ryo grabbed their attention. "Look! Sage and his uncle are leaving!"

"Where are they going?" Cye asked.

Ryo stood up from his chair. "He shouldn't be alone."

The other councilmen all stood up from their chairs. The dark haired one turned to them. "This is when the 'council' goes with the young lord to discuss the new changes. Best stay on your toes."

Rowen turned his friends. "Let's go support Sage. He's going to need our help."

The four followed the crowd of councilmen into the meeting chambers, but were turned out. Rowen was surprised that they were all dismissed so easily. But Sage had come back when all the councilmen were sitting in their proper places. "Best you four go about your business." He whispered. "I want them to tell me as much as possible, and they won't do that with new faces in the room. So forgive my rudeness, but it's necessary. I'll send for all of you shortly." He closed the door.

"I think we were snuffed again." Kento said, crossing his arms.

"No, Sage has a point." Rowen said in response. "They're more likely to talk openly with Sage there and not us." He narrowed his eyes at the door. "Come on, let's go back to the feasting hall and wait for the dessert."

/

A groom walked in with a handful of folded and rolled up papers to give to his uncle.

"I know this is short notice and perhaps not the best time, but your father left a few important papers unsigned. You have to sign them as well as make the changes you think we may need."

"Certainly." Sage said calmly. "What does the first paper contain?"

"All of these, nephew, pertain to the upcoming conflict with the Dynasty."

"Are they terms for surrender?" Sage asked him.

"Well, most of them speak of the great possibilities that will come with surrender. For example," his uncle opened one to hand over to him "this one is the amount of money our city will save without a war."

Sage glanced at it, but there were too many numbers to read all at once. "What else?"

"This document pertains to all of the goods and trade we will gain through the Dynasty. This next one here tells of their form of government, which, we think, will be easy for our people to adapt to. It is the welfare of the people we care about the most. Remember nephew, we councilmen are picked by the common people to speak for them."

Sage looked at the three papers and shook his head. "I'm afraid I cannot sign these without taking some time to look them over. Allow me to read over the documents tonight with my advisor and I shall give you an answer by morning."

His uncle gave a nervous little laugh. "You'll give ME an answer in the morning and we will discuss it further."

"Precisely." Sage replied. "Now, is there anything else pertaining to the Dynasty at the moment?"

"Only what is in these documents."

"Then I would like all my stuff to be moved to my father's chambers." Sage commanded. "I want my mother's things all packed and ready by tomorrow morning when she has to leave."

"Yes, but shouldn't we speak of-"

"That is all."

He stood up from the table, gathered the documents, and politely dismissed himself from the council. He could feel their eyes on him as he left the room. Sage knew he should have stayed a little longer, but he really did not want to discuss anything further at the present time. Sometimes, less was more. Along the way, Sage asked for the young man to find Rowen and tell him to meet with him in the gardens. The servant left to do as told, and Sage retreated to the quiet sanctity of the gardens. It was his favorite place to meditate, especially under the wisteria orchards or next to the koi pond. He would need a little peace and quiet after today; especially with the armful of documents that he had. Hopefully, Rowen could read through them quickly and figure out what they should do. Sage had too much on his mind right now to properly focus on it, and if Rowen wanted to be his advisor, then the man would have to do this job.

He took a seat on the stone bench alongside the koi pond and placed the scrolls down beside him. The pond was large, surrounded by rocks and decorated with various flowering plant life and fruit trees. The koi in the pond varied in size from small to large. They recognized him as a frequent visitor for they all started to gather near him, waiting for food. Sage had nothing for them. He waited for a short while; simply enjoying the tranquility of the pond and warm rays of the setting sun. Soon, a small shadow was cast upon him, and he looked up to see the smiling face of Rowen.

"So you nicknamed Cye after one of these fish? They don't look like much!"

"He enjoys fish and used to spend a lot of time here at the pond. It seemed like an appropriate nickname."

Rowen looked at the scrolls beside him. "Good news or bad news?"

"I'm sure it's all bad news. It's about the Dynasty…and surrendering."

"Figured. Let me have a look at them."

Sage gave him all the time and silence that he needed. Rowen had finally finished by the time the sun had set and the stars started to come out.

"Okay, so here's my conclusion." Rowen started, folding up the last document. "We're on our own with defeating the Dynasty."

"Can I have more than that?"

"While these statistics prove legit, they will only last for two years tops, maybe three. I'll have to calculate it more carefully to get a true number, but based on what I can see, these numbers won't last. It looks and sounds nice now, but down the road? Shit will fly. The Empire will fall."

Sage cracked his knuckles. "Then get me those numbers to present to the council tomorrow. It will fall on deaf ears, but at least I can have the facts to back me up. And I would like you with me as well."

Rowen nodded and reached into his pocket to pull out the gold coins. "Do you know where I got these?"

"Should I?"

"Someone tried to bribe me in talking you in to agreeing to surrender. I told him 'no' and to get lost."

Sage frowned, his features becoming troubled. "Money has more power than any living lord or god."

Rowen looked up at the sky. "True that." He closed his eyes and felt the cool evening air against his face. "How are you feeling by the way? I mean after today?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? I said I'm fine. I knew this day was coming. I had prepared for it a long while ago. Now it is over. And let's leave it there."

Rowen shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, I won't say anything about it again. But if you ever want to talk about it…I'll listen."

"Thank you." Sage looked over at Rowen, and then followed the gaze up to the sky. "Do you wish you were up there now? Just floating among the stars?"

He chuckled. "I've thought about that a lot. I thought I would grow out of those daydreams when I got older, but I haven't. And I'm glad that I didn't."

Sage thought for a second. "I wonder why you find fascination with the night sky and not the morning sky?"

"Because the morning sky is boring?" Rowen snickered.

"No, think about it. The stars never move; they remain in the same place and spot every night. But during the morning, the blue sky is filled with white clouds. Those clouds travel across the sky and across the world. Think of all the knowledge and wisdom they hold? The stories they could tell just from they've seen. Even the night sky has clouds, which also move."

Rowen wrinkled his nose. "Clouds are stupid."

Sage gave a light chuckle. "You're just jealous that I matched you wit for wit."

He crossed his arms. "I wouldn't call it 'wit'…jerk. The stars are better because I say so. When you've learned astronomy as well as I have, then we can debate about stars and clouds."

"Fair enough." There conversation was cut short by a series of distant screams, all of which were coming from the city. "What was that?"

"Something's happening in the city! I smell smoke…!"

Sage jumped up. "It sounds like an attack! Most likely the Dynasty." The screams grew louder. "Alert the soldiers, and call Ryo, Kento, and Cye here with us. And tell them to bring their weapons. I'll go get mine."

"So we're going out there?" Rowen wanted clarification.

"Yes. Hurry!"

There was an explosion somewhere in the city.

End Chapter 7 TBC


End file.
